Against All Odds
by Tempestt
Summary: Bulma has a plan to topple the Icejin ruler. She has the brains, but she needs some brawn. How will Vegeta react to her proposal to overthrow their ruthless master? VB AUThis is an old story of mine that I'm reposting. The writing style still needs wor
1. The Plot

Disclaimer: If I owned it I would be rolling in it.

Chapter One:

The Plot

Bulma Briefs was a woman with a plan. She was going to pull that lizard down from his throne built from the flesh and bones of innocent people and beat him bloody with it. Well maybe not her specifically but she was going to be the mastermind behind it. Frieza was going to fall and she was going to laugh as she watched.

Frieza had purged her planet fifteen years ago when she was twelve. He sent his men out to collect the strongest and smartest people of her world then maliciously slaughtered the rest of the inhabitants without remorse. He then sold the beautiful planet to the highest bidder.

It had been years since Bulma had seen another human being. She didn't even know if the others who had been taken still survived. She had beauty and brains and with those tools at the tender age of twelve she had learned to navigate the dangerous eddies of Frieza's court. She quickly became the Ice-jinn's favorite and rose to the top among his numerous scientists.

Now that she was firmly entrenched as a court supporter, she could put her plan in motion. She knew that she could put together a rebellion that could topple the ice-jinn's empire, but that would not stop him. A few rebel warriors with laser guns could never kill him and he would just come back to reclaim his throne, even if he had to do it alone and unaided by an army. What was sick was that he was strong enough to do it.

So the most logical conclusion was to find someone strong enough to kill Frieza and take over his throne. However, this plan was inherently flawed. Absolute power corrupted absolutely. Even if she could find some pure hearted fool strong enough to defeat Frieza, he would probably end up just as bad as the tyrant or too stupid to rule such a vast empire. Once she came to the conclusion that she couldn't save everybody and that someone had to rule, the plan became easier to live with. She would find someone with the potential strength to defeat Frieza, make a deal with that person for her freedom and hope for the best.

The candidate for the new ruler of the universe had to have certain qualities. He or she had to be strong obviously, with the ability to become even stronger. Most importantly they had to be intelligent. It wouldn't do to have an incompetent ruler on the throne, not that she hadn't thought of it. She could put someone easily manipulated in charge, then she could be the power behind the throne. In the end though, that would cause more problems than it was worth and she didn't want to be in entrenched in court for the rest of her life anyways. She already had a quiet little planet picked out where she could retire too.

The candidate would have to have political savvy as well. After all they would have to rule the empire. Charisma wouldn't hurt either.

Lastly, they would have to hate Frieza as much as she did. What she would be proposing was treason, punishable by death. Just approaching this person would be signing her death warrant. She had to be reasonably assured that her offer would be well received.

The problem was finding someone who fit the criteria. So she decided to start at the top and work her way down the list. The strongest people under Frieza were the Ginyu Force. She diligently combed through their personnel files reviewing their power levels, strengths, weaknesses and their psychological profiles. Of course the files were top secret but it took her all of ten minutes to break the encryption.

First on her list was Guldo. His power level was the lowest of the group and his only real skill it seemed was the ability to stop time when he held his breath. An interesting trait, to be sure, but absolutely worthless to her. Jeice was a pretty boy who didn't have a thought beyond seducing the next young thing, male or female, that came his way. Which wasn't necessarily bad, but images of unwilling pleasure slaves parading through the streets to the palace made her stomach turn.

Recoome was just too stupid. Burter was unflinchingly loyal to Captain Ginyu and would do nothing without his mentor's consent. Which led her to Ginyu himself. As strongest of the Force members, he displayed average intelligence with the potential and drive to become stronger. He obviously knew his way around court politics and was a leader of men.

In short, he was perfect for the job. There was just one blaring problem. Last week he had dragged one of Frieza's warriors through the streets of the capital to Executioner's Square. Once there he had the man disemboweled while he was still alive and his innards set on fire. The man's crime was commenting within hearing of the Captain that pink was an undignified color for an emperor.

She scratched him off her list.

Next up were Zarbon and Dodoria, Frieza's 'pets'. Zarbon already worked for her gathering information he gleaned from Frieza during 'pillow talk'. He was clever and sly and in many ways he reminder her of herself. He too had come to court at an early age. He had no technical genius to fall back on but had quickly climbed the political ladder of power by using his almost painfully good looks. He had remained Frieza's courtesan for a near impossible ten years. He quickly adapted to appease his lord and was an artist when it came to court life.

Of course like her, he hated the Ice-jinn with a passion and entered into the world of espionage with the consummate skill of a master. Zarbon did have some fighting power and there was no doubt his strength could be increased, but like her he had no desire to rule. He was an invaluable asset and she would ask that he be freed from his servitude, but he would not move against his Lord visibly.

Which left Dodoria. That fat slug sold out his own people in order to ensure his own survival. Even Frieza was disgusted by him, but he made a good lap dog and so he was kept around.

She was beginning to get discouraged. All of the most powerful fighters were unviable prospects and she was running out of options. That's when she heard the latest rumor that was flying around the lab. Gossip was always rife in the court and she usually just ignored it, knowing that she would get the real story sooner or later from her various sources, but this caused her ears to perk up.

Prince Vegeta had defied Frieza once again when he refused to purge a planet whose inhabitant's power level was laughably low. He said that it was beneath him to fight such weaklings. She had heard of the Monkey Prince of course, everyone had. People were amazed that he and his two bodyguards, the last of their race, were still alive. He made no effort to disguise his hatred of Frieza and was punished for his insolence quite often. No one understood why the emperor kept him alive.

Bulma quickly finished up the project she was working on and left the lab. One of the benefits of being the head scientist was that she could come and go as she pleased.

Once she was in her quarters she pulled up Prince Vegeta's profile and examined it quite thoroughly. She found some interesting points on Saiyan anatomy that she had been unaware of. For instance their telepathic skills and most importantly their ability to gain even greater strength after being mortally wounded in a battle.

Bulma practically wiggled with excitement. So far so good. He tested at above average intelligence with high scores in problem solving and statistical reasoning. He was taken from his homeworld when he was ten, but not before he had begun his training to be king. He was now leader of a small force that went on planetary purge missions. Distasteful, but he met the requirements for political awareness. Even if he chose not to dance to Frieza's tune and try to advance his position in the court.

Lastly, he hated Frieza. His planet and entire race had been destroyed by the Ice-jinn personally and he waved his thirst for vengeance like a war banner. It really was quite amazing that he was still alive.

She pulled up his psychological file as a last thought and sat back in her seat stunned. Coupled with his advanced ability to reason was a complete lack of emotion. He knew the difference between right and wrong, but he just didn't care. The only emotions he did seem to display were his disgust for the Ice-jinn and an unreasonable amount of pride. Other than that he was completely stoic, not even crying out during his numerous beatings. This was why he was still alive. He was the only one who could carry out the Emperor's darkest deeds without remorse or mercy. He was ruthless and extremely deadly.

She paced around her rooms questioning the logic of putting a cold blooded killer on the throne. He would be just as bad as Frieza if not worse. She furrowed her fingers into her hair in frustration as she spun around in circles until she collapsed onto her bed. She lay there for several minutes staring at the ceiling.

The fact of the matter was that she was no martyr. She wasn't out to overthrow Frieza to free the millions of people enslaved under him. She came to the realization long ago that she couldn't save them. Her goal was her own personal freedom and the freedom of her few co-conspirators.

In Vegeta's file it stated that he did have some sort of twisted honor code. If he agreed to let her go when it was all said and done then he would do so. Could she in good conscious topple one tyrant only to install a new on the throne? Could she sacrifice the safety of millions of people just for her own happiness? The answer was yes. If things stayed as they were the same people would be miserable, if Vegeta turned out to be a tyrant, they would still be miserable, but at least she would be free. Like she said, she was no martyr.

She sat back down at her desk and began to set her plan in motion.

She was already a great favorite of Frieza's and she cultivated that regard carefully. She was his "precious genius" and he denied her almost nothing. All he needed was one last push and he would be right where she wanted him.

The Monkey Prince's punishment for his latest misdeed was exile to a distant star base in the Vega Quadrant. This as it turns out was perfect because it housed a large, fully equipped and most importantly, abandoned lab.

Only three other bases had the same set up and she could easily make excuses as to why she wouldn't want them. Frieza was notoriously generous when he was pleased with someone. The greater his pleasure, the greater the reward. All she had to do was make him happy and she would oh so sweetly ask him for a favor.

Bulma had been holding a secret close to her heart for the past fifteen years. She had been waiting for a time when it would be most beneficial for her to reveal it. The secret was her father's patented capsulation process. She fretted at giving the tyrant such powerful technology but she knew that this would provide her with the push she needed and was her best chance for success.

She waited a few months after the monkey incident so she didn't arouse any suspicion of her motives before announcing her astounding "break through".

Frieza was most definitely pleased and Bulma was hailed throughout the galaxies as the top scientific genius ever known. A ball was thrown in her honor and everyone was invited.

She attended the ball clad in a gorgeous dark purple gown shot through with silver thread. She knew that this was Frieza's favorite color and she did look stunning in it. She laughed, she danced, she sparkled brightly for the emperor and when he was the most receptive she approached him.

The scaly ice-jinn held out his hands as she neared, his effeminate voice ringing out through the crowd.

"Ah, my Precious Genius, you look beautiful tonight."

She placed her hands in his as she replied with a practiced ease of a courtier. "You do me a great honor, Sire, but I could never compare to your magnificent form." She stood before him her eyes lowered primly while he preened at her praise.

"You have done your empire a great service. Your discovery will help us to grow stronger." His slippery tones slid over her causing her to shiver with distaste. She desperately tried to ignore the cries of her conscience as she thought of all the deaths her invention could potentially cause.

"I live to serve the empire and it's illustrious Ruler." She executed a perfect curtsy before him. His pleasure knew no bounds and he chuckled in delight. Her behavior was carefully tailored over the years to be pleasing to the Ice-jinn.

"M'lord," she started shyly, "There would be something that I would ask of you."

"Oh?" A sly look entered the lizard's eye.

She nodded her head that was still demurely downcast. "After devising the idea of the capsules it took me eighteen precious months to produce my first prototype and six more months to complete the project. That was time wasted, when you could have taken advantage of the technology months earlier. If only I was in a different environment. The distraction of court intrigue and the stress of protecting my work from those nasty traitors that would betray you, slowed my work considerably. However, if I could move my lab off Capital World to somewhere more remote and surrounded by my most trusted assistants I could produce more quickly for you. Though it would pain me to be removed from your exalted presence, it would in fact be more beneficial for you and the empire, M'lord."

Frieza grinned, he was not a fool and he recognized her tactics, be he could find no fault with it. She played the game well and after her contribution to his empire she did deserve a reward.

"What did you have in mind, my sweet." His high pitch voice was like nails on a chalkboard to her, but she displayed no outward emotion.

"After careful consideration I have settled on Primus Starbase in the Vega Quadrant. It is remote enough to allow me the peace and quiet that I need with an already equipped lab. With a few modifications it will be more than enough to satisfy my needs, Sire." Her demeanor was still subdued with a hint of coquettishness thrown in. She dared to raise her eyes to the powerful Ice-jinn, blushing prettily at the same time. For all her brains, Frieza never considered her a threat. After all she was just a weak woman.

He considered her request for a few moments and although he would miss his Precious Genius he did agree that her remote location would probably make her more productive, besides it would keep her out of trouble from court intrigue. More importantly, it may keep her alive as she would more than likely become a target of her more jealous rivals.

He nodded sagely as he addressed her. "I find your request to be quite reasonable. You may remove yourself and a team to Primus. I will miss you my precious, but I look forward to seeing your inventions."

"Thank you M'lord. You are a most generous Master." She purred.

"Yes, I know. Now go and dance and enjoy your ball."

She curtsied to the Emperor and quickly moved away, carefully schooling her features to hide her exhilaration. She had done it. She had removed herself from Frieza's presence, gaining access to the Saiyan Prince who was exiled to Primus for the next five years.

Within the week she had her lab packed up and team of seven assistants ready to accompany her to their new home.


	2. Damn Regen Tanks

Disclaimer: Don't own it.

Chapter Two:

Damn Regen Tanks

Primus was definitely a rough and ready base. The warriors stationed there believed in might makes right, which is why the lab was abandoned in the first place. The previous scientists could not cope with the rowdy men. Within hours of arriving Bulma outfitted herself and her people with ki zappers.

The principle was simple. When the tip touched a person it would draw their ki out of them, recycling it, then sending it back into the person like a large electric jolt. The larger the ki of the person the larger the jolt. If placed correctly, it could kill them.

In fact within the first two days a lonely soldier decided that Bulma would be a tasty treat. He was found in the hall outside her lab door, where her people had dragged his carcass. His body was twisted horribly and his face was a mask of pain. He served his purpose to warn the other vultures away and she was left in relative peace.

Upon her arrival she quickly ascertained that Prince Vegeta was not on the base, but away on a purge mission. He was not scheduled to be back for another month but this did not bother her greatly. Zarbon had just contacted her with news that Frieza had been called away to the outer rim of his domain and would be away for at least a year. Within thirty-five days he would be out of communication range with Primus. This unexpected information was perfect. If Frieza had any spies planted here they would not be able to report to him for the next year. Everything was falling into place.

The month passed quickly for her. It takes a lot of time to unpack a lab and get it upgraded to the anal scientist's satisfaction. Bulma was retrofitting a DNA compositor when Jace, her most trusted assistant, walked in.

"He's here." No explanation was needed to who he was.

"He's injured and has been taken to a regen tank." She nodded and Jace moved away to work on another project.

She finished up what she was doing and grabbed her tools, telling the rest of the staff that she was going to work on the regeneration tanks. When they arrived they had found the tanks to be in woeful disrepair and they had been steadily putting them back in order. It was just an excuse though. She was dreadfully curious about the Monkey Prince and wanted the opportunity to examine him when he wasn't looking.

She sauntered into the regen room, her tool box swinging from her grasp, gray overalls zipped up over her clothes to protect them. She put her tool box down next to the tank that she was planning on working on and then moved to stand in front of the tank that housed the prince.

As she moved closer she was able to make out the chiseled features of the man who floated in the murky blue fluid. She gasped at the sight. He really was quite handsome. His inky hair floated around his shoulders and his firm lips looked utterly kissable. He had high cheekbones and an arrogant nose. His body was cut and lean and he was completely naked. Her blush spread across her face and she quickly turned away to work on the tank she had set her tool box next too.

Years of hardship had honed Vegeta's instincts to a fine edge. Most would have succumbed to the drifting cloud of contentment that encases you when in the regen tank, he however was acutely aware that this was when he was most vulnerable. So when an unfamiliar ki entered the room he was instantly aware of it. He lifted his thick lashes just enough so he could see the intruder without them knowing it.

A blue-haired woman dressed in a gray jumpsuit moved over to one of the tanks to set down her tool box. She obviously had a techy look about her, but he had never seen her before and as far as he knew there weren't any scientists on the base. Which only meant that this had to be some sort of trap.

She turned and walked over to stand in front of him and he readied a mental shout to Nappa if she proved to be dangerous.

Her eyes roved over his face taking in every detail until finally trailing down his body. He had to fight the urge to smirk when her face flamed red as she realized that he was naked. She quickly turned on her heel and stalked over to her tool box. She began to tear apart the empty tank and for all intents and purposes she seemed to be there to repair it. Perhaps some changes in personnel had occurred when he was away.

After watching her closely for about an hour he was satisfied that she didn't have any murderous intentions toward him and he relaxed in the blue fluid. Another hour had passed when another ki entered the room and Vegeta became dangerously alarmed.

It was Raja, a Raiken who had taken a dislike to Vegeta when he had first arrived. It didn't help that the prince had beaten him bloody for crossing in front of him while he was striding down the corridor. The Prince did not like being cut off.

Raja had a sly look on his face that did not bode well for him. Vegeta darted a look over to the Onna, but she was nowhere in sight, although he could still feel her ki.

Raja walked up to the control panel on the tank and flipped it open. The programming on a regen tank could be altered to damage the victim inside, instead of healing them and there was no doubt in Vegeta's mind that this is what Raja was doing. He instantly set off a mental alarm to Nappa, cursing the fact that he was paralyzed by the healing fluid and could not move to protect himself.

The Onna chose that moment to circle around to the front of the tank she was working on. She caught sight of Raja and a thunderous expression formed on her features. She began to advance on him while saying something to the warrior.

_Stupid woman_

She was going to get herself killed. She should have stayed hidden. Raja rounded on her, slapping her with a forceful backhand that was sure to have busted her cheek bone and sent her flying back into the empty regen tank. She crashed through the window landing inside the tank as broken glass showered down on her.

Raja turned back to the panel and he must have punched in the code to speed up the process because Vegeta started to feel light headed.

Nappa's groggy reply sounded in his head. "What is the matter Prince Vegeta?"

"Get your lazy ass down to the regen room. Raja is trying to kill me." He snarled ferociously.

Nappa growled angrily and he could hear him calling to Raddiz.

The Onna was slowly picking herself up, her body covered with numerous cuts and she was bleeding profusely. She stumbled toward Raja and Vegeta wanted to growl at her stupidity. Why she even cared he didn't know.

Raja grabbed her around the neck hoisting her up above the ground so Vegeta had a clear view of her blood-stained back. He could see that her jumpsuit was quickly turning dark red and she was losing dangerous amounts of blood.

He watched as she reached a small hand behind her, her fingers wrapping around a shard of glass that he hadn't seen protruding from her back. Before his stunned eyes she began to pull inch after inch out of her back, until she had a six inch bloody shard in her hand.

Her arm whipped around in front of her and she was suddenly dropped to the ground. Without her obstructing his view, he could see Raja was now grabbing his bleeding forearm where she had skewered it with the shard.

Quick as a cat, the Onna jumped at the distracted warrior producing a small wand like object and sticking him with it in the neck. Raja began to convulse violently and he collapsed on the ground. Eventually, Vegeta felt Raja's ki extinguish as his life force left his body.

Vegeta was in awe. This woman with a nearly negligible ki had killed a warrior. Granted a pathetically weak warrior, but stronger than her nonetheless.

He nearly jumped out of his skin when a bloody palm slid along the glass. The Onna pulled herself up to a standing position leaning heavily against his tank. Her forehead fell against the glass as she panted with the strain.

Her startling blue eyes opened to meet his emotionless onyx ones through the murky fluid. His vision began to swim as she moved over to the control panel. She had just completed reversing the damage that Raja had dealt when Nappa burst into the room.

He instantly spun her around intent on snapping her neck.

"Stop you fool." Vegeta roared telepathically at the large man.

Nappa hesitated, the woman still trapped in his meaty fists.

"She saved me." Vegeta stated quietly.

Nappa released her and stepped back. She rubbed her neck while stumbling over to a working regen tank. Through a muffled distance he could hear her speak using Nappa's ears as a conduit.

"You fool. He could have been killed while you were jacking off. Where were you? I thought you were supposed to be his bodyguard, but apparently you are just a dumbass." She began programming the tank to accept a patient, still scolding Nappa. "Why don't you make yourself useful and get rid of the body."

Vegeta could hear Nappa's growling and see his fists clenching with anger. He could tell that the warrior was getting ready to attack her.

"Knock it off and do what she says. She's right, I could have died." Vegeta hissed.

Nappa dropped his head and began to form a ki ball to disintegrate the body. Vegeta watched as the Onna stripped off her clothes and stepped into the tank. Her ki dangerously low.

Later after he climbed out of the tank and was dressed he walked over to stare at the Onna. She was very beautiful with oceanic hair and porcelain skin. She had firm breasts and a narrow waist that flared out to rounded hips that tapered down to long legs. He smirked to himself as he spun on his heel and left the room.

It took Bulma a couple of days before she was ready to venture out of her lab. It really was intimidating to be almost killed. Jace told her that she was getting quite a reputation among the warriors. Two of them had perished by her hand in less than a month and it made the men nervous.

She doubted that Vegeta or Nappa had told anyone what happened in the regen room, which meant that there had to be security cameras. She figured there were, but this just confirmed it.

When she first set up her area she had done a thorough sweep of her quarters and lab, removing all listening devices and visual surveillance equipment. If asked she was prepared to say that her work was top secret and she could not afford it to be recorded and possibly stolen. No one came to ask, but at least now she knew that someone was watching.

She didn't approach Vegeta for several more days, feeling that it would be better for him to ferret out any information about her if he wanted it. Her arrival had put the base in an uproar and she was counting on the rumors to peek his interest in her.

She was working late in her lab one night when a rumbling in her stomach reminded her that she had skipped dinner. She cleaned up her work station an left the lab, hoping that the mess hall was still open so she could get a snack.

She made her way down the darkened corridor, foolishly not paying attention to her surroundings because she was still mentally wrangling a particularly difficult mathematical computation.

Suddenly, she was yanked into an inlet off the hallway and roughly slammed up against the wall. A foul smell assailed her nose as someone began to assault her. She desperately reached for her ki zapper, but fear rose quickly within her when her attacker carelessly knocked it out of her hand. She would have screamed if she thought it would help her but she seriously doubt it would. If someone did hear her, she knew that they would not interfere.

She began to struggle valiantly but in her heart she knew she could not win. In the end she knew that she would just have to bear it and pray that he didn't kill her when it was over.

Vegeta strode down the hall on his way to his rooms after coming from his intense work out. He could hear the sounds of a struggle to his left, but he ignored it. It was none of his business if some foolish woman got herself raped.

As he passed the inlet a small object skittered in front of him. As he glanced down he recognized it as the wand like object the Onna had used against Raja. He paused a moment and felt out the ki's in the area. The woman being attacked in the dark inlet was definitely the blue haired onna.

He almost continued on his way, but then he remembered that he owed her a debt. When his life was in danger she did not hide or walk away. He sighed deeply, it disturbed him that he felt compelled to repay her.

Refusing to turn and look at them, he negligently raised his hand and shot a ki blast through the man's heart, being sure to miss the Onna. The attacker slumped down to the ground and he could see the Onna's pale face from the corner of his eye. He did not turn to face her.

"Thank you." She whispered shakily.

"Hn." He grunted before walking off.

The next day Bulma gathered her courage around her. This was her day of reckoning. One of three things could happen. Vegeta could accept her proposal, turn her down flat or turn her over to Frieza.

Taking a deep breath she made her way to his quarters and chimed the bell. The doors slid open to reveal an annoyed prince and they just as quickly closed in her face.

_What a beast. Didn't he have any manners?_

She sat outside his door knocking and ringing the bell for ten minutes before finally giving up and stalking off to her rooms. The next day he left the base for another purge mission while Bulma fumed in her lab.


	3. The Proposal

Disclaimer: Don't own it.

Against all Odds

Chapter Three:

The Proposal

She was working in the Landing Bay when he came back. His two bodyguards sprung out of their pods and rushed over to his ship. There was a loud screech as they pried open the door. She angle around so she could get a better view and gasped at the sight. Vegeta was crumpled inside the pod covered in blood. His men reached in and grabbed him under the arms, hoisting him out of the pod

They were holding him slumped between them, when his onyx eyes opened and met hers across the dock. She inhaled sharply as she looked into the completely emotionless pits, before he was hauled away to the regen room.

_Kami, did that man ever not get hurt? On the bright side, it's one injury closer to the goal at hand._

From his battered looks and the trail of blood leading out the door he would be in the tank for some time. She quickly took a swab of his blood so she could examine it later then she took her time finishing up her project before going back to her room to change.

One of the first things you learn at court is that appearance is everything. You dressed to attract or distract certain types of attention. Valuable information was commonly passed between two "flirtatious" people while in a room full of people. Appearances were deceiving.

She changed into a short dark blue mini skirt that hugged her thighs with a matching blue top with white highlights that framed her breasts perfectly. She pulled her hair up, allowing a few strands to dangle down her neck and donned a pair of white knee high boots. Dark blue, she had learned was one of the Prince's favorite colors. Or so it was assumed because that was one of the only colors he would wear. Thus equipped, she strode out of the room, ready to do battle.

She strolled into the regen room, trying to look as appealing as possible, making sure that the surveillance cameras caught her. She checked the dial on the tank and saw that Vegeta still had a half an hour before being released. Playing on a hunch, she reached up and knocked loudly on the glass while watching the immobile prince. His usually cold eyes popped open to display annoyance and a hint of anger.

_Hmm, just as I thought, he doesn't sleep when he is in there._

Before she left her room she had snatched up some paper and a pen and she hurriedly began to write down something she thought would catch his attention. She placed the paper flat on the window so Vegeta could read what she wrote, but she was careful not to let the camera see. While she did this, she gave him her most seductive smile.

_How badly do you want to kill Frieza?_

His eyes drifted down to read her message and just as quickly darted back up to hers. His eyes no longer showed annoyance, but instead they blazed with white hot anger. She gulped but continued on.

_I have a plan, but I need your help. When you get out of the tank, just follow my lead. The room is bugged and we are being watched._

He frowned as he read the words a sneer forming on his lips. She put her hand on her hip, tossing her head flirtatiously as she gave him a little wave. He just glared at her while she smiled back. As she waited for the timer to ding, she burned the papers, carefully making sure that nothing but ash remained.

When the fluid had completely drained, Vegeta launched himself out of the tank practically snarling. "What do you want?" He hissed.

She resisted the urge to roll his eyes at his inability to be subtle. She let her gaze roam slowly down his form, desperately trying not to blush at his nakedness. "I think its pretty obvious, big boy. I want you. Why don't you come back with me to my quarters?"  
She smiled and winked at him alluringly.

He crossed his arms across his wet naked chest, his features becoming closed. "No."

_What is he doing? He's not even going to hear me out?_

"No? Why not?" She hissed before remembering her role. She plastered her smile back on and purred suggestively. "I will make it worth your while."

"It could be a trap." He stated impassively, not in the least affected by her appearance.

_A trap? Kami, this guy is paranoid._

Her smile nearly faltered, while her brain raced for a solution. Hitting on the perfect idea she sauntered over to him, allowing her fingers to trail up his arm.

"Oh well, then I know the perfect spot. It's a little kinky, but it might be fun and since its spur of the moment, I couldn't possibly have planned a trap." She spat the last word out with a saucy tilt of her head.

She leaned in close to him, so she could whisper in his ear, while praying that he didn't blast her right on the spot. "The machinery in the Core Room on Sublevel Three will block any sound of our conversation, but we will still be watched." She brushed her lips against his ear before pulling away, to look into his eyes. They stared at each other for a few minutes and she desperately tried to decipher his thoughts. Finally, he moved away to dress himself, before motioning to the door. "Lead the way, woman."

She sashayed down the hall, putting on the best show possible for any audience that could be watching through the lens of a camera. They paused while they waited for the turbo lift and Bulma leaned close him. "We have to look like we are on our way to a tryst." She said in a low whisper.

He turned his head to look down at her a grimace curled on his lips. He opened his mouth to respond, but she was saved when the doors slid open to reveal an already occupied lift. She entered and stood next to the control panel while eyeing the young soldier inside. Vegeta entered behind her and leaned up against the wall, staring at her like she was a bug he was getting ready to squash.

The young man began to fidget nervously. He did not want to be trapped on the lift with one of the moodiest men alive and a woman whom three men had already died while in her company. Needless to say he got of at the next floor. After he exited, Bulma relayed her destination to the computer. No need to have more people than necessary knowing what they were up too.

When the lift started to move again, she found herself pinned up against the wall by a very solid male. She gasped in surprise and shot a startled look up at Vegeta. He was staring down at her with that same impassive expression on his face, before he leaned in close to her, his lips a hairsbreadth from hers.

"Is this what you were talking about Onna?" He questioned.

She was having a hard time ignoring the heat from his body as she swallowed convulsively at his husky words. She said the first thing that came to her mind. "My name is Bulma."

"I know." Was his only reply.

"Well you should try calling me that."

"Okay, Bulma." He reached down to grab her bottom, pulling her closer to him. She could feel the drool forming in her mouth when she caught his masculine scent.

"If you are playing with me Bulma. I will kill you." His hissed in her ear with cold, malicious intent. All of her spit dried up and she had instant cotton mouth. He pulled away to look at her and all she could do was nod.

The doors slid open and he sprang away from her shooting a look at the door. He reminded her of a coiled predator ready to spring into action.

_I wonder what it's like to be on guard like that all the time. So watchful for any attack. _

The computer announced that they were at their destination and they stepped out into the hall. It was low lit, as it was barely used. This was where all the machines that heated and cooled the installation were kept, along with various other types of plumbing. A great deal of it needed maintenance since there hadn't been anyone qualified on the base to repair it in many years. Her and her team had been doing what they could but they were techs not mechanics.

She led him to the room that housed the heating system and almost instantly broke into a sweat due to the intense humidity of the room. The Saiyan seemed to be unaffected though. This room was at least ninety degrees and very loud. Even if there were listening devices in here, they would not be able to pick up anything beyond the machines thumping. Another added benefit was that it was immersed in shadow. They could back themselves up in a corner and talk while embracing without actually having to do anything.

Vegeta seemed to figure this out as well because he grabbed her arm and dragged her over to the darkest corner. He lifted her up by the waist and sat her on a dirty pipe that was about hip high. Thoughts of her ruined skirt were quickly abandoned when Vegeta moved to stand between her legs, hiking the skirt even higher on her thighs. He wrapped his arms around her as he glared down at her. If anyone was watching, all they would be able to see would be their shrouded forms.

"Talk." He growled.

She took a deep breath before starting. "I want to help you kill Frieza." He looked at her expectantly.

"Once you kill him in combat, you can become the Emperor." He snarled angrily and began to pull away from her a ki ball already forming in his palm.

"Obviously, I am not strong enough to kill him Onna or I would have done it already. You are a waste of my time." He raised his hand to blast her.

"Wait, Wait!" She waved her arms in a panic. He paused, waiting for her to speak.

"I have the tools to help you become stronger." She rushed out

His frown grew and she knew that his patience was wearing thin. "Tools, don't make a person stronger woman."

"I know you have heard of me, and you must know that I am a genius. Do you really think I would go through all this if I didn't think it would be successful? Just hear me out." She snapped with desperation.

He must have considered the validity of her words because he lowered his arm and resumed his previous position.

"And just what sort of _tools_ do you think will increase my strength?" Sarcasm dripped from every word.

"I have developed a new training room. You can adjust the gravity in steady increments allowing you to train under intense pressure. I have created robots that you can spar against that have the ability to reflect your ki back at you, increasing the intensity of the training. I have a new regeneration tank that will heal you in half the time of a normal tank. Also I have examined your blood closely and I think that I might be able to modify the tank to feed you the DNA sequence that programs your strength increasing ability. It would be small doses of course, but every time you are severely injured and have to go into the tank, it would increase your strength at least ten percent more than it usually would."

"It would be a lot of hard work on your end. You would need to train almost daily, but I feel that you would be able to eventually surpass Frieza in strength."

"I of course, will maintain the Gravity Room, the bots, the tank as well as try to develop even better machines as part of the deal."

With every word his face shifted from anger to disbelief to consideration. At the end of her stream of information his features were back to their normal stoic expression, but his eyes gleamed with an uncomfortable light.

"What do you get out of it?" He asked quietly

She swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. "Freedom." She croaked out in a cracked whisper.

He cocked his head. "What?"

She schooled her features into an unmovable mask. This last part was nonnegotiable. "Freedom, for myself and my people." She stated clearly.

His eyes narrowed. "How many people?"

"A few thousand." She replied in a controlled tone.

His eyes widened in shock as he stared down at her.

"I have an extensive spy network. Those people are loyal to me and have put their lives on the line to keep me informed. I want them to have the freedom they have worked for."

"That is a lot of people Onna."

"What do you care? You will be the Ruler of the Empire. Millions will be bowing at your feet. What is a couple thousand less? Besides they are all spies, they would not be desirable subjects, now would they?" She spat at him.

"Fine, you and two thousand people of your choosing will receive their freedom from me, _IF_ I can defeat Frieza." He hissed.

"Not just our freedom, but your protection. I have a nice little world picked out for us to settle on. It would be redundant to get our freedom if some other enemy came along to conquer us."

He glared menacingly. "You ask too much Bulma."

"Oh? I didn't know there was a price tag on vengeance for your race." Inside she was shaking, but she didn't display any of her fear to him.

His faced darkened and his body tensed at her words. It felt like the temperature dropped ten degrees.

"You are quite right. Very well, I agree to your terms. But your plan better work or I will kill you instead."

"Fair enough, if my plan fails I don't think I want to live anyways." For a moment an expression of despair flashed across her face. It made him think that there was something that she wasn't telling him. Instantly she was all business again.

"Now for the hard part. You have to be able to train everyday without other people noticing. We have to keep the gravity room a secret and explain your absence."

"Hn. I don't see how you can hide something as big as a training facility, woman."

"That's where you are wrong. I have commandeered the entire west wing of the complex for my lab and living quarters. To get to my rooms you have to go through the labs and only through my rooms can you get to a second "lab". The doors to the main lab are locked with a security code known only to me and my people, the door to my rooms is only known by me."

"I can set up the Gravity room in the second lab, but there is one small problem."

"Yah, people are going to wonder what I am doing all day in your room."

"Precisely." She purred. She knew those high intelligence scores of his would come in handy.

"That means you are going to have to move in with me."

He reared back from her slightly, his nostrils flaring. She knew he didn't like that idea, and she knew he was going like the next one even less.

"The only way to explain that, is if everyone thinks we are lovers." She whispered.

He growled deep in his throat. "I do NOT take lovers, madam."

She sighed. "I know, I read it in your profile. You prefer occasional encounters with whores or one night stands. This is going to be completely out of character for you. We will just have to make it seem like we are head over heels and hope they buy it. That is going to require _some_ acting on your part."

"You have read my profile?" He frowned.

"Of course, I had to find out about you if I was going to propose this little partnership." She answered offhandly.

"My file is classified."

"So, I'm a genius. When you are as smart as me, nothing stays classified for long." She preened under her own praise. He just snorted.

"There has to be another way, woman. I will not _pretend_ to be in love with some silly weak female." He muttered something about bakas.

She cocked her head and flashed a smile at him. "Got a better idea?"

They paused for about five minutes, him still standing between her legs while she sat on the pipe.

"Hn." This translated into no.

"Good, then its settled. Tomorrow we will put our little plan in motion. The more public our display, the better." She hopped off the pipe and made her way to the door, followed by a groaning Saiyan.


	4. Security

Disclaimer: I don't own it, and if you try to sue me I will throw my Vegeta doll at you.

Author's Notes: Thanks so much for the reviews, they make me feel warm and gooey inside.

Chapter Four

Security

They agreed to meet in her lab the next morning. The cameras in the hall would see a man rendezvousing with the woman he had been intimate with the day before and it was a secure place to talk.

Her lab techs were all loyal to her, but the only one party to her perfidy against the throne was Jace. Vegeta insisted on telling Nappa and Raditz and she was forced to agree. Vegeta would never convince his bodyguards that he was in love with a weak ningen female. He claimed that they were completely loyal to him and she had to trust him.

That made a total of five people that knew of their plan to overthrow the Lord. In retrospect it was three to many. It could be their downfall, but for now they just had to hold their breath and hope for the best.

She met him at the secured doors of her lab. As the doors slid open to reveal him standing in the hall impatiently, she felt the barest twinge of attraction. She tried to tell herself it was because of what she was about to do. The game was afoot and everyone was watching.

She reached out and pulled him into her, vaguely surprised that he let her. She locked her lips over his and wrapped her arms around his neck, while dragging him into her lab. She wasn't prepared for the riot of sensation this caused inside of her. It sent a little shiver down her whole frame. Over his shoulder she glimpsed the utterly shocked faces of his men.

I guess he hasn't told them yet.

As soon as the door closed behind them he shoved her away from him wiping his mouth on his forearm. The warm tingle she had felt was quickly replaced by indignation. She wasn't that bad of a kisser and she had been considerate enough to pop a breath freshener before he arrived.

_What a jerk._

"If you are done Your Highness, I suggest we collect your men from outside." She sneered.

The hard look she was becoming familiar with settled on his handsome features. "Leave them. I would see this room that you have lured me here for first." He demanded in a cold voice.

She huffed and turned on her heel, leading him to the other end of the lab. Her people wisely pretended to ignore the visitor and continued to work. They were used to her meeting people, but they had never seen her kiss one before. However, they knew better than to question it, or talk about it. The first thing she showed him was her 'bug detector', while launching into a description of her security protocols.

"Twice a day the lab is swept for any foreign surveillance devices that should not be here. The sweeps are performed randomly and by a different person each time." She explained in a businesslike tone.

"When you leave the lab you open yourself up to contamination. Someone could accidentally brush up against you in a crowded room, but what they really did was plant a bug on you."

Vegeta snorted. "No one brushes up against the Prince of all Saiyans either by accident or on purpose woman. Not if they want to live long."

She glared at him. "That may be so, but we can't take any chances now can we? Every time you enter the lab, immediately come to stand in the center of this."

She pointed to a raised platform that was wide enough for someone to stand on. At each corner were pillars that stood about eight feet tall. She motioned for him to step on, but he crossed his arms and a mulish expression formed on his face. She rolled her eyes and stepped on the platform instead. Instantly an orange beam appeared at her feet and began to creep up her body.

"This machine will scan you to make sure that you haven't been bugged." She explained. When she was done she stepped off and held out her arm in invitation for him to get on. He shot her one last suspicious look before complying. As soon as he was done she led him over to her room.

The entrance to her quarters was locked of course. In order to enter you had to have a retinal scan, a DNA scan and a voice scan. After unlocking the rooms she led him passed the living area to another set of doors.

"This room is locked by a ten digit code. It is nearly impossible to crack." She grinned as she punched in the code. He looked down at her with one brow raised. "People say that I am paranoid, but you woman, are scary." He said in a dry voice.

She straightened to glare at him. "Look, what we are doing will get us tortured until we beg for them to kill us. I don't know about you, but I want to avoid that at all costs." She finished her words with a snap. He just eyed her before he grunted and faced the door expectantly.

She tapped the button that opened the door and led him into a small foyer that was about six feet across and eleven feet wide. Directly across from where they stood was another heavy door with a key pad. Instead of walking up to it, she drew him to the left. Standing against the wall was a Regeneration Tank.

"This is the tank I was telling you about. It works exactly the same except the rejuvenation rate is quicker." He nodded in understanding, he had spent a great deal of time in the tanks and he needed no instruction on how to use it.

She strolled up to the next door and typed in a different code. The door slid open to reveal another thick steal door right behind it. Vegeta glared at her with annoyance and she sighed.

"Don't look at me like that. There is a reason that there is another door." She snapped.

"Yah, you are a loon." He hissed.

She sniffed and crossed her arms. "Do you know how I ended up on this backwater star base? The same base that you were currently stationed?" She asked snidely.

He just stared coldly down at her. "I asked Frieza for a favor and in order to get that favor I had to invent something that would make that ugly lizard happy." She was grinding her teeth now, talking about Frieza always made her angry.

"Capsulation." He stated impassively.

She blinked in surprise. "You have heard of it?"

"You would have to be deaf and dumb not to. The greatest invention of the century or some shit. What does that have to do with the door woman?" He demanded impatiently.

"How do you think I got the Gravity Room here, Prince Vegeta?" Sarcasm dripped from her lips.

Understanding flared in his eyes. "Capsulation."

"Exactly. I then decapsulized it in an already existing room. A room within a room. It makes for easy clean up. In less than five minutes the proof of our treachery will be palm sized and easily hidden." She smirked at her own genius and even Vegeta graced her with a small cold smile. She was almost flattered.

She opened the door and led him inside a spacious room. It was circular with metal siding and control panel that dominated the center. She led him up to the panel and spent the next hour explaining exactly how it worked.

When she was done, he turned to her with an intense expression. "This may actually work. I can become strong enough to kill Frieza and avenge my people." For a second a look of hope flitted across his usually cold eyes, but it was stowed away so quickly that she almost missed it. "I suppose I won't kill you now, Bulma." His tone was serious and she knew that if he hadn't been satisfied with what he saw today, she would be dead on the floor right now.

"Yay, me." She replied completely deadpan.

She took him back into the living area and into her small kitchen. She offered him some Gilian Ale which he accepted while leaning causally against the counter. She watched as he tipped his head back to swallow the brew. She practically slapped herself when she realized she was staring at his muscular throat and the little bit of bronze skin that peaked out of the collar of his shirt.

"This is the only place that we can be ourselves. Everywhere else we are being watched, even in my lab." She uttered in order to break the hypnotizing spell of his skin.

"The only person on my team that knows about this plan is Jace, everyone else is loyal to me, but it is safer for them if they don't know what is going on." She turned away to get her own ale. The way he was sucking his down, made her think having some wasn't a bad idea. He grunted in response.

"This means we have to move into the next step of our plan. We have to have our 'relationship' documented." She said in her most neutral tone. She knew the Prince hated this part of the plan.

He tensed as he stood up from the counter. "This is not going to work woman. Saiyans do not fall in love. No one is going to believe it for a minute."

"You have mates don't you?" She asked still trying to stay neutral.

"Yes, but that is different. Besides even between mates there is no show of affection, it is a private matter between them." He explained.

"How do Saiyans take a mate?" She was trying to work out an acceptable answer for their problems.

"I fail to see how this has anything to do with what we are talking about." He snarled.

She rolled her eyes. "Just answer the question Vegeta."

Before she knew it she was pinned up against the far wall. Vegeta was glaring angrily down at her. "Don't you ever tell me what to do Bulma." He hissed into her face. She gulped and nodded her head slowly. He pushed away and stormed into the living room area. She trailed behind, desperately trying to get her composure back.

"I was just asking because it may give me an idea on how to pull this off." She said softly.

He sat in one of her plush chairs before putting his feet up on the coffee table. She barely contained the grimace that was in danger of appearing at his action.

He sighed. "The male threatens or kills any other males in the area then marks the female in front of witnesses. Thus making her his." This time she couldn't stop the grimace that twisted her features.

"So in other words, the male forcefully dominates his territory, before aggressively claiming his prize." He raised a brow at her wordy explanation.

"Whatever." He replied before taking another sip of his ale.

She moved around to sit on the couch drinking her own beverage while she was deep in thought. "Well there seems to be no way around it. The only way to convince people, is if you claim me as your mate."

He nearly spit out his drink at her words. "I will do no such thing, madam." His voice was frosty and his face dark.

"It wouldn't be binding of course, just a show for everyone to see. I assume there is more to claiming a mate than just what you said." She quickly tried to appease him.

He was quiet a moment before he volunteered the information. "After the male takes the female in front of the witnesses they then consummate their bonding. Once done they are full mates under Saiyan law."

"Well then, since we aren't going to consummate, a little show for the locals would be ideal." She grinned impishly.

He examined the label on his ale for a few minutes, considering her words, before he looked up and nodded.

"Great the first thing we need to do is pick out another male. Preferably someone you don't like since you are going to have to kill him." She was ticking off her fingers, as if her comment was the most natural thing in the world. Vegeta eyes however, widened a fraction.

"Woman?" He adopted the same neutral tone that she had earlier.

She looked up from her thoughts. "What?"

He stared at her for a minute. "Are you planning a murder with me?" He asked more than a little shocked at this weakling across from him.

"It's not murder. He is a pawn that will be sacrificed for the greater good. Our greater good." Her tone was steady and even as she met his hard gaze unblinkingly.

He continued to stare at her with an unfathomable expression and she felt compelled to explain herself. "Look, obviously I am not an angel or I wouldn't have entered into a partnership with a cold-blooded killer." At her words his eyebrow twitched slightly.

"Oh yes, I have read your file. The question you have to ask yourself is what kind of person would agree to help a man such as yourself come into power." She was careful to mirror his expressionless face as she spoke.

"The answer is someone who is only concerned with their own welfare and that of their people. You have given me your word and I have to trust that your Saiyan honor will not allow you to break an oath once given." She flinched internally at her words. If he chose not to honor his end of the bargain all was lost.

"As soon as we entered into this compact we were wagering our lives. Do you really think I care about some faceless individual? Just because I am not a warrior like yourself does not make me any less dangerous. I will do what I have to survive and to win." By the time she was finished her lips were curled in a deadly sneer.

At that moment she was totally and utterly ruthless. She would have her prize at any cost. Even at the life of an innocent. Well maybe not innocent. No one under Frieza's command was sin free. Including Bulma. For a brief moment, he felt a tightening in his groin before he tamped it down cruelly, but not before a stray thought seeped into his mind. She would make a magnificent queen. He nodded his head in ascent and listened as she elaborated their plan.

"Great, now here is what we are going to do."


	5. Dinner, Anyone?

Disclaimer: Don't own it.

Chapter Five

Dinner, anyone?

They both agreed that no one would believe that Vegeta, The Prince of All Saiyans, would "claim" her after one brief encounter in a boiling room and a visit to her room. So they contrived to be seen in different places throughout the base for the next week and each evening he "stayed over." During those times he would train straight through the night, before leaving the next morning. When he slept she did not know.

Their first make out session was scheduled for the next day. He had taken Nappa and Raditz aside after their talk in her quarters and explained everything they needed to know. They agreed to keep their distance while she and Vegeta "courted."

The next afternoon he went to train in the gym provided for base personnel, while she lingered outside. This area was always teeming with activity since the soldiers had little to do between missions other than keep in shape. She had more than one offer for a good time and at least one made her blush. She turned them down, making sure that they knew she was waiting for someone specifically. She stayed in an area where she thought the cameras would be pointed and made of show of primping. She made sure her hair was in place and her lipstick was fresh. In short, she looked like a woman waiting for her lover.

Vegeta exited the gym with another warrior at his side as planned. He stopped short of her, letting his eyes rake down her body insinuatingly while she smiled at him seductively. He tossed the towel that was draped over his shoulders to the other wide-eyed male, while stepping forward and sweeping her up into his strong arms. His firm lips devoured hers as he leaned her back in a breathless kiss that seared her down to her toes. He drew away from her to glare at other men who had gathered around to watch the jaw dropping show before dragging her off to the nearest lift. He growled at the three men already occupying it and they hastily exited.

Once the door closed he pinned her up against the wall and began to kiss her hungrily. She knew it was an only a game, but she couldn't stop the desire that bloomed deep inside of her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss, reveling in the intoxicating taste of his lips. His hands slid down her sides to cup her derrière, pulling her against his hard lean frame. One hand moved under her short skirt to rest against her soft skin and she moaned longingly into his mouth.

She had to admit that kissing him was a pleasure, his dossier said nothing about how skilled he was. Time stopped as she lost herself in the sensation of his warm lips on hers. She didn't even notice when the doors popped open and she groaned in disappointment when Vegeta pulled away. She opened her eyes to see him looking down at her dispassionately and her newborn desire wilted and died.

He bent down and hoisted her up so she was draped over his shoulder to stride down the hall to her lab.

_What is he a cave man?_

They had set up his access yesterday before he had left so he was able to walk passed her startled employees and straight into her rooms, pausing only to get scanned. He dumped her unceremoniously on the couch and without stopping proceeded into the GR.

She huffed, sulking on the couch for a minute, before she picked up a technical manual and settled herself for a long wait.

This went on in pretty much the same manner for a couple of days. She would always end up getting hot and bothered by their activities, no matter how much she told herself not to. Vegeta however much to her frustration was always coolly detached. She didn't know why that annoyed her. It's not like they would ever go to bed together, but it hurt her pride a little. She knew she was a beautiful woman, and to have no effect on a man whose tongue was down her throat was more than a little disheartening. She pushed her feelings aside and concentrated on the goal instead.

The man they had settled on to assist them with their coup was Magin Rox. According to Vegeta he was a coward of a warrior, who had abandoned his own men when he was in danger on the battlefield. He was pompous prick, to quote Vegeta exactly and once more he thought of himself as a ladies man. He was also off the base on a mission, which was perfect. He would not have witnessed any of their staged encounters so far, so he wouldn't know that Bulma was off limits.

She chuckled at that. Since it became apparent that she and Vegeta was involved she was treated with a certain amount of deference from the other warriors. She was surprised to find that she enjoyed the sense of power she felt at being the woman of the most powerful and feared warrior on the base. Coupled with her already building reputation of a man killer, you could say that they were afraid of her. Magin wouldn't know about this however, so it would be easy to lure him into a compromising situation. She brushed away the brief feeling of guilt in her gut. The battlefield was no place for regret and this was the most dangerous battle fought since Frieza had come into power.

The most crowded place on the station was the mess hall at dinner time. People would skip breakfast or miss lunch, but almost everyone in the base showed up for dinner. It was the perfect stage. About a week into their plan Magin came back from his mission and he was sure to be in the cafeteria.

Bulma dressed carefully in a slinky scarlet dress. The bright color would attract everyone's notice and low cut top would undoubtedly gain Magin's attention. She breezed into the room, pausing after a few steps to make sure everyone saw her. Of course, they couldn't help but see her, she was a shinny lure in a sea of sharks. She saw a few mouths gape and she couldn't fight the smile of female victory that etched across her face_. It's good to be beautiful_. She thought with a renewed sense of self worth. A few of the wiser warriors dropped their gaze immediately and concentrated on their food instead of the gorgeous woman. Magin however, was not a wise man.

She picked her way daintily towards the food counter being sure to pass right next to Magin. He was a handsome man, in a greasy sort of way. He had black hair that he slicked back into a long pony tail at the base of his neck. He wore bright green armor, which had been polished more times than it had seen battle. He had a certain glint in his eyes that told her that he was used to getting what he wanted from a woman, whether she wanted to give it or not. Bulma was not surprised when she heard him attempt to compliment her.

"You are more radiant than a cerulean sunset." She barely resisted the urge to roll her eyes. At least he didn't try to cat call her. She flashed him a flirtatious smile over her shoulder before proceeding ahead. She quickly gathered some food items on her tray, not really paying attention to what, then headed back the way she came. As expected, Magin stood up in front of her, blocking her path.

"Please join me at my table, I insist." He gave her an oily smile, which was meant to be debonair while motioning to an open seat. She flashed him a warm smile before putting her tray down.

"Thank you, that is most kind of you." She purred while she took her seat.

"Are you new here? I haven't seen you around." He questioned smoothly.

"Yes, I have only been here for a few weeks." She twittered and fluttered her eyes at him.

"Oh, well that explains it. I have been away for the last three months on a very important mission for Frieza." He smiled boastfully and began to deluge her with false information of his prowess. She smiled at him while she allowed her mind to wander. _Did men actually think this kind of stuff worked? Where was Vegeta? _If he didn't come soon she was either going to die of boredom, or kill this guy herself.

Just then her savior arrived, looking very much like a demon knight in his royal armor. He was flanked by Nappa and Raditz, who towered intimidatingly in the background. He scanned the room and she pretended to not notice that he was there, while watching him from the corner of her eye. His eyes locked onto her form and if she didn't know that this was a ploy she would have been running for her life. His face was hardened into a callous mask of ruthlessness and she felt the sensation of the room growing colder. _How does he do that_?

"Woman!" He bellowed causing everyone to jump including her. The entire room fell silent and she scrambled up from the table trying to look nervous, which wasn't that hard.

"Oh, um Vegeta. Hi." She squeaked.

He frowned at her, before he let his gaze slide to the man next to her. When he caught sight of Magin his lips peeled back in a snarl.

"Get away from my woman." For the first time ever she saw Vegeta's tail unwind from his waist. It swayed violently behind him as the hair bristled up. Bulma was fascinated by the sight, she was struck with the urge to reach out and stroke it until the hair laid down smooth. She briefly wondered if it was soft like cat fur or course like a dogs.

She pushed the thought out of her head as she noticed the flurry of activity in the room. Apparently Vegeta's swaying tail meant something other than puppy dog tails, to the soldiers. Quicker than she could spit a path was cleared between the door where Vegeta stood and the table where she was with Magin. Unfinished plates of food were left on the tables and a more than one chair was knocked over in their haste to evacuate the line of fire.

The soldiers lined up on either side of the room, trying to get as far from the two men and her as possible. The icy sense of foreboding crept up her spine and she could have sworn she saw a man wordlessly mouth a prayer. Some looked exceedingly frustrated that Vegeta blocked the only avenue of escape. She barely resisted the urge to slide away herself.

Magin held his hands up in front of him in a supplicating manner. "Now Prince Vegeta, it's not what it looks like. I had no idea she was your woman." Magin began to bead with sweat and even with her underdeveloped nose, she could smell fear rolling off of him.

That twinge of guilt surfaced again, but she shoved it back down as she said the words that would seal his fate. "Vegeta, he forced me to sit at his table and when I refused he held me by the arm." She could feel the men in the room shrink from her. They knew she was lying, but they really couldn't blame her for trying to save her own skin, they would be doing the same thing in her position. However, she could see people filing mental notes, never to get anywhere near her. _Shucky darn no new friends for me._

Magin's skin lightened a few shades at her words before it bloomed into a brilliant tint of red. He whipped around, snarling furiously at her, ejecting spittle from his mouth as he did. "That's a blatant lie. I never did any such thing, you whore." At his words she edged away from him. _Well it was nice knowing you Magin_.

Vegeta let out a roar of outrage and too late Magin realized his mistake. You shouldn't call Prince Vegeta's woman a whore. It happened so quick that she didn't even see it. One second Vegeta was across the room the next instant he was right beside her, thrusting his fist through Magin's chest. Blood sprayed across her white face and onto her dress. She distantly applauded her choice to wear red.

Magin slumped to the floor in a heap and Vegeta held his still beating heart in his hand. He held it up to the hushed room, turning in a slow circle to show everyone his victory, before bringing it to his mouth and closing his gleaming white teeth around a ventricle. Blood spurted out splattering over his face and gushing down his chin as he bit into the muscle. Bulma barely suppressed the urge not to vomit all over the ground.

He dropped the mangled organ onto the floor before grinding in into the ground with his heel. He turned to her and she took a fearful step back. His eyes blazed like a black inferno through the crimson coating on his face. He really did look like a demon knight, but she wasn't so sure she wanted to be saved by him anymore. What possessed her to trust this man? This killer.

He took another step towards her and she forced herself not to move. Over and over she chanted one word in her mind. _Freedom_. She allowed him to take her into his arms as she shuddered in revolution. She felt his tail wind around her waist, pulling her flush against him. With his bloody fist he grabbed a handful of her hair pulling it back to expose her delicate throat. He leaned down with a gore covered maw and claimed her in front of all, with a single bite to the neck.


	6. Whispers in the dark

Disclaimer: Like I said, I don't own it.

Author's Note: Contains some lemony content. You have been warned. Also Bulma may come off as being a little crazy squeezes her fingers just a little bit don't flame me. She's in control, I just think we all have a nut ball running around in our head that gets free every once in a while. Or maybe it's just me…

Against all Odds

Chapter Six

Whispers in the Dark

She must have passed out because the next thing she knew she was slung over his shoulder like a bag of rice while he made his way back to the door. She reared up to look over his shoulder and saw Raditz and Nappa bowing slightly with a fist over their hearts.

"All hail Vegeta, Prince of all Saiyans and his mate Bulma, Princess of all Saiyans." They said in unison.

_Yippee I'm a princess._

She suppressed the urge to laugh hysterically and she vaguely recognized that she was in a mild form of shock. She was completely prepared to see a man die tonight, she was not prepared to see him eviscerated and his organs chomped on by her new mate. She closed her eyes and forced herself to breathe calmly. By the time they reached his quarters she had gotten her rioting emotions under control.

The second step of tonight's plan was their consummation. They both agreed that was never going to happen, but they had to solidify their relationship in everyone's mind. Mainly the minds of those watching.

When Bulma arrived at the base, she had found plenty of listening devices and cameras in her private quarters. Logic dictated that Vegeta's quarters would be bugged as well. Vegeta was outraged when she had pointed this out to him and she lost a very pretty lamp to a ki blast in the wake of his ensuing tantrum. However, they or rather she decided to use this to their advantage. After a horrendous fight in which she let a little more of her self show than was wise, she finally got him to agree. For the past week the cameras had watched as they ducked into dark corners or necked in the elevator, but in the end they always ended up back at her room. Tonight they were going to give those voyeurs something a little more concrete.

As he entered the room the lights automatically came on, illuminating the small living quarters. He set her down in front of him and began to lean in for a kiss. She quickly backed away holding up her hand to ward him off. Kissing a man covered in blood was not a big turn on for her. He began to growl fiercely and for the first time she noticed a feral look in his eye. Killing a man and claiming a mate, fake as it may be, seemed to have ignited his Saiyan instincts. He did not like the idea of a female denying him.

"Vegeta, calm down. I just thought we could get washed up first." She said in a soft soothing voice. The light in his coal black eyes dimmed and they became hard and controlled once again. He turned on his heel and stalked into the bathroom. She let out a shaky breath as she heard the water turn on.

Once he had finished she took her turn in the bathroom to clean the blood off her face. As she leaned over the sink she stared at the woman in the mirror. She had beautiful teal hair and sparkling blue eyes. Her porcelain skin was perfection and her lips were full and red. She was gorgeous and she was a murderess.

Droplets of blood were scattered over her white face and her blue eyes were shadowed with guilt. She squeezed her eyes shut to block out her reflection and bent down to splash cold water on her face, scrubbing roughly at the delicate skin. It's not like she hadn't done terrible things before. She was a scientist under the employ of Frieza. Her inventions for the lizard had caused many people their lives. This was no different. Just a means to an end. Besides she had killed men before, it didn't matter that it was only in self defense. She pushed the guilt away and concentrated on her future.

She lifted her head and dried her face with a clean towel. When she looked in the mirror all she saw was a beautiful woman.

Vegeta paced as he waited for Bulma to exit the bathroom, cursing himself for the hundredth time for the mess he was in. He paused in the middle of the room, his arms crossed over his chest as he thought back to yesterday and the start of his current dilemma.

Flashback

"I will not lower myself to participate in such a mockery." He practically shouted.

"But Vegeta we need to make this as real as possible. There can't be any doubt in their minds that we are mated." She pleaded.

"No." He roared aggressively and she could see a vein throbbing in his forehead.

"We can't have security poking around here if they get suspicious." She was trying to be reasonable but her temper was wearing thin.

"You ask to much, woman." Vegeta's pupils were pinpoints of flame, melting her with the sheer intensity of his anger.

"All you have to do is go into the room with me, kiss me until the lights are off and I will do the rest." She was getting frustrated with his stubbornness.

"Listen here you stupid excuse of a female, I will NOT do it." He hissed into her face.

The tenuous hold that Bulma had on her rising temper snapped and the flood gates that she had kept firmly closed on her pain for so many years gushed open. Without thought of her life she advanced on Vegeta with a snarl twisting on her lips and her eyes red with rage. She poked a stiff finger at the center of the prideful Prince's chest.

You will do it Prince." She snarled into his shocked face. "If you want to avenge your people."

"You can only manipulate me with that so much Bulma." He growled at her. "Besides the display in the cafeteria will be more than enough." Her sudden switch in behavior startled Vegeta, putting him on the defensive. His fingers itched to blow her away right on the spot, but he still needed her, much to his dismay. He refused to acknowledge the other primal urge that was clawing at his gut to toss her on the floor and take her right there. She was exquisite when she was enraged.

"It will never be enough." She screamed with rage. "It will never be enough until he is dead." She drove her hands into her hair, yanking viciously at in her fury. "It will never be enough until my mother's screams stop echoing in my head every night." Her face had gone dangerously red and she began to froth slightly from the mouth. Vegeta stepped back to avoid being sprayed while eyeing the infuriated woman curiously. The extent of her fury was amazing. "It will never be enough until he is bleeding at my feet begging for me to stop, like I begged him to." She was clawing at her bare arms now, caught in some distant memory of shame and horror, just barely buried under a thin line of sanity.

Just as it looked like the whirlwind of her emotions would tear her apart something clicked in her mind. A sheer veil of reason fell across her eyes and she steadied herself before him. In a soft voice that he had to strain to hear she spoke. "It will never be enough." She turned and escaped to her bedroom with those whispered words. Through the thick walls he could make out her sobs with his sensitive hearing before he retreated to the GR to train.

Vegeta knew of the horrors woman and even men faced in Frieza's court. The only reason he himself escaped the lecherous claws of the lizard was because Frieza needed him to do his dirty work and Vegeta's temperament was unstable at best. A frenzied outburst wouldn't harm Frieza but Vegeta might get himself killed and the Ice-jinn couldn't take the risk. More than one person had taken their life after spending the night with the Emperor and survival was a macabre dance that only the strongest could master.

The more beautiful the people the more horrific the treatment and the onna was a very beautiful woman as he had become acutely aware of during their "make out sessions" as she insisted on calling them. It took all of his monumental control to remain detached while what he really wanted to do was ravish her. The spicy scent of her arousal that perfumed the air when ever he neared her didn't help the situation either.

He dialed the gravity up to 100g's and gritted his teeth as the weight threatened to buckle his knees. He moved to the center of the room and began to steps of a graceful kata.

He had to give the woman credit where it was due, her invention was ingenious. He had only been training for a week and his strength had already tripled. He would have had to train for a year straight or nearly die before making that kind of leap normally. He supposed that he should be grateful to the woman for providing him with the opportunity to defeat his enemy.

He did have to admit, though it bereaved him to do so, that she did have a point. People only see what they expect to see, so the more solid their story the better. The last thing he needed were people nosing around the lab interrupting his training. He just hoped that Frieza didn't catch wind of his "mating" until he was strong enough to defeat him or the whole plan would come crumbing down on their heads.

He sighed as deeply as he could under the heavy gravity. He would carry out this farce until the end, and then he would throw himself into his training for the year. He pushed the image of Bulma's tortured countenance from his mind as he continued to train.

End Flashback

So now he found himself in this ridiculous situation, where he was going to pretend to bed a woman for the sole entertainment of a faceless audience. Being put on display like a performing monkey should have disturbed him more than it did, but the real problem was that he didn't know if he could stop once he started.

In his mind he didn't want this woman, she was a weak human and he suspected a little insane, one of those mad scientist types, but his body had other ideas. All of the other women he had bedded he could walk away from in mid rut and feel no ill effects, but a few kisses from her lips and his body was screaming for release like an inexperienced adolescent boy. It was all he could do to dump her on the couch and make it into the GR before doubling over with need.

She sashayed out of the bathroom, looking like a luscious cherry tart and he nearly groaned. Her revealing dress coupled with the throbbing bite mark on her neck proclaiming that she belonged to him, nearly undid his precious control. No hint of the fierce battle waging inside of him showed on his sculptured features or in his onyx eyes.

He pulled her into his embrace, intent on getting this over with as soon as possible. He drank deeply from her lips while yanking her dress down until it fell around her ankles, before tossing her roughly on the bed. He snarled inwardly at the thought of some pervert feasting their eyes on her bare beauty, but a show was what she wanted and a show was what she would get.

He stripped off his armor and suit unaffected by the thought of someone looking at his own nudity. His smoldering gaze never left the woman who was lying prone in his bed, dressed only in a red lace bra and panties, her sea blue tresses spread around her. Never had he seen such an engaging sight as her displayed in all her splendor.

He crawled slowly over her, shielding her from unwelcome eyes, as he let his heated skin slide sensuously against her cool flesh. He could smell her heavy arousal and hear her heart beat faster as he nuzzled her neck. He ran his fingers down her side until he gripped her hip, pulling her leg up to encircle his waist. He sank into her softness and he almost sighed with bliss. Bulma had no reservation about displaying her pleasure and moaned with need.

_Damn Woman_

He felt his treacherous tail wind is way around her thigh that he had hiked up and he shuddered when he felt her buck under him. The tip of his tail slid down the underside of her leg to draw near her moist center. He gritted his teeth, yanking it away and thought of the most deplorable images he could think off.

_Frieza grinning at him lustily._

_Nappa wearing a dress._

_Yep that did it._

Back in control, he ran his tongue from the hollow of her throat to her breastbone, savoring her salty taste. She furrowed her fingers into his hair, her arms pushing up her breasts invitingly as she did so.

Unable to resist he latched his lips over one of the jutting peaks, sucking it lightly as he rolled it in his mouth. He felt the roughness of her lace bra on his tongue as her hands tightened their grasp on his mane and he could feel her wet heat against his thigh. He began to trail kisses down her abdomen, determined that if he had to participate in this, he would at least get to taste her. An insistent tugging of his hair made him look up to meet the panicked gaze of the onna. She was flushed not only with desire but embarrassment.

Understanding her discomfort he moved back up to cover her body with his own and claimed her lips in a heated kiss. He felt his iron clad control begin to bend and his groin stir to life. It was time to retreat before he ended up mated for life.

"Lights out." He barely rasped out after breaking their kiss. He rolled off her as the shadows descended on them, throwing one arm over his eyes. He very nearly pulled her back to him when he heard her groan with frustration.

Now that their voyeurs were blinded, they only had access to audio, which the woman would provide for them. She began to moan softly at first, causing him to lift his arm and look over at her. With his perfect night vision he could see her lying on her back with her head thrown back, letting the soft sounds flow over her swollen lips. Her cries became more insistent with time until it sounded like a woman in full orgasm. She was so utterly erotic that he had to clench his fists to stop himself from taking her right there. He was grinding his teeth together so hard he was sure that he was going to chip a molar.

When she was done, he was almost disappointed. He could still smell her need and he couldn't resist leaning over to whisper in her ear.

"If you need to take care of yourself, don't let me stop you." He didn't know what possessed him to say that, but the thought of her pleasuring herself in front of him nearly made him explode. She blushed in the dark and violently shook her head. She crept under the covers to make herself comfortable while he laid on top trying to calm his raging body.

He had to be the most provoking man she had ever met. They had been in the most intimate of positions, but he didn't even get aroused by her. Then he had the audacity to tell her that she could masturbate in front of him if she wanted to. She was already self conscious enough, and now he sat over there as calm as could be while taunting her about her lack of control.

_What an ass._

Not everyone could be as detached as him. She knew she was a beautiful woman, but maybe something was wrong with her.

_Yah, you are the wrong species or maybe he just doesn't like woman._

That made no sense. His file said nothing about him preferring men, and it went as so far as to say that he did on occasion indulge in the opposite sex of various species. So it must be her.

_You need to stop obsessing about this and go to sleep Bulma._

She sighed and stared at the ceiling for what seemed hours, before she accepted the fact that she wasn't going to get any sleep. She snuck a peak at Vegeta, but he had his arm slung over his eyes and was breathing evenly. She couldn't tell if he was sleeping or not.

"Vegeta?" She asked softly.

"What?" He sounded pissed that she had bothered him.

"Sorry, I was just checking if you were awake." She said even more softly.

"Well I am now." He snapped.

She frowned at him in the dark. "Well you don't have to be so rude about it."

He sighed deeply as if she was some sort of cross that he had to bear. "What do you want woman?"

"I just thought we could talk." She sounded hurt.

"No." He bit out the word.

"Why?" Her voice raised a fraction along with her temper.

"Not now." He said meaningfully.

"Oh." She turned on her side so she faced him and scooted over so she was lying against him and whispered in his ear. "We can talk if we whisper. Their equipment isn't good enough to pick up low sounds."

He stiffened when he felt her slide up next to him. _What is she doing now? Is she trying to kill me?_ He very nearly threw her off of him, but when she spoke he was frozen into inaction. _Talk? She wanted to talk? To him?_ Vegeta rarely had a conversation beyond ordering Raditz and Nappa around or threatening anyone in his vicinity. He was intrigued.

He turned on his side to face her, so now their heads were only an inch apart. Adopting her same low tone he asked, "What do you want to talk about?"

She shrugged, "I don't know." She paused for a moment, thinking. "Tell me about your home world?" Her question caught him off guard and he had to take a moment to collect himself. He analyzed her question and decided that answering it would not do any harm. Besides she could research anything she wanted to know anyways.

"Vegeta was large barren planet." He stated.

She looked at him expectantly for a moment, before she realized that was all that he was going to say. "And?" She asked.

"And what woman?" He looked blankly at her.

"Can't you be more descriptive than that?" She prodded.

"Descriptive how?" His brow furled only slightly, giving the barest hint that he was confused.

She decided to help him out a bit. "What color was the sky? What kind of plants and animals did it have? What did your house look like?"

"Violet. Mostly cacti type plants and large basilisks. I lived in a palace." Almost like an afterthought he added. "It was red."

She sighed. Obviously making conversation was not one of the Prince's skills. "Okaaay. How about if I describe my planet to you?" He nodded curtly.

"I lived on a planet called Earth. It's mostly water, so from space it looks like a blue gem. Most of the surface is lush and green, but we have our deserts too. We have this one desert called Death Valley and it gets up to 130 degrees." Her eyes were wide as she cited the number. To her that was unbearably hot.

He snorted. "On Vegeta a mild day was 130 degrees." She gasped and he almost smiled at her surprise. "Saiyans are more comfortable in the heat, but you weaklings need cooler climes." She huffed at his comment.

Catching on to what she wanted he went on to elaborate about his home. "The palace was red because it was carved from Kerithiam, the stone that made our deserts the same color. When the three suns set it looked like the whole planet was on fire."

She smiled at him. "That sounds beautiful; I would have loved to have seen it."

They fell silent for a moment, both remembering their homes. Their memories were dusty, but they would never be forgotten. Finally Bulma spoke again.

"What were your parents like?" She asked innocently.

He glared at her for a moment. Thinking that she was trying to trap him somehow, but then he remember that she was a genius and if she wanted any information on the King and Queen she could just crack open their sealed files.

He shrugged. "I remember that my father was impossibly tall and that my mother was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. Beyond that I don't remember much."

She frowned, she knew from his file that he had been removed from his home when he was ten, so she was sure he knew more, but she decided not to push it.

"I miss my parents very much. My father was a scientist like me. I remember thinking that he was the smartest man in the whole world. My mom was beautiful too and she made the best chocolate chip cookies ever." She smiled at the memory.

"What are chocolate chip cookies? He asked curiously.

"Well chocolate is sweet and it melts in your mouth and a cookie is kinda like a sherita. Chocolate is a delicacy that is served at court now. It is one of the main exports from Earth now that the Nori has taken over. That and silk." Her eyes took on a distant sadness. Vegeta knew that the Nori were the race who had taken up occupancy on Earth after it had been purged.

"Well at least your planet still exists." His voice was gruff and stern. She looked at him like he had struck her, but then a small smile curved on her lips.

"Your right. At least my planet is still there." She may be the last of her kind, but her home still existed. Vegeta was only one of three left and his planet was completely annihilated. It is hard to feel sorry for yourself when you are looking at someone who was as bad or worse off then you.

"Maybe I will make you some cookies sometime." She grinned at him, catching him off guard with her abrupt change of mood, yet again.

"Hn."

She was starting to get drowsy and she could feel her eyes dropping. "Well goodnight, Vegeta." She whispered before drifting off to sleep.

"Goodnight, Bulma." Said the Prince as he watched her sleep.


	7. Who Needs Sleep?

Disclaimer: If I owned it I would have made sure that Vegeta kicked Frieza's ass.

Chapter Seven:

Who needs sleep?

She awoke the next morning, slightly disoriented with the unfamiliar surroundings. The first thought to pierce her muzzled mind was that she was in Vegeta's room. Tthe second thought was that he wasn't in bed with her. Her eyes shot open and she scanned the room searching for her absent bedmate.

She found him during her second sweep, sitting in a chair tucked back in a deep corner. He was watching her quietly and a blush rose to her cheeks.

"How long have you been sitting there?" She asked curiously.

"All night." Was his clipped response. Her blush deepened.

"I'm sorry, did I hog the bed?" She was embarrassed at the thought that she kept him up all night.

"No." He stood up and walked over to the foot of the bed, bending down to retrieve her dress.

"Oh well did I…" Her words were cut off by her dress wrapping around her head as he threw it at her. She ripped it off, intending on screaming at him for his rudeness, but all she saw was his retreating back as he entered the bathroom.

"Jerk!" She screeched while throwing a pillow at the closed door. She whipped the covers back and stood to pull the dress up over her hips while glaring murderously at the bed.

Her movements slowed and her expression grew thoughtful as she darted a look at the chair he had vacated then back to the bed. The bed had been very comfortable if a little too firm. In fact it seemed brand new, without the divots that a mattress forms from normal use. The chair's seat on the other hand was deeply indented and it faced the entrance to his quarters without being readily visible.

Her face grew dark as she realized that he did not slumber in his bed at night, but instead sat in a chair waiting for any intruders that may creep in. She sighed deeply and as she expelled her breath her anger at him left with it. Maybe moving into her more secure rooms would allow the Prince to rest more peacefully at night.

By the time he came out she was dressed and ready to go.

"So I guess we should get your stuff together." As she said the words she looked around to do a mental inventory. His room was spartan, no personal effects of any kind were scattered around, and even the furniture was what the base provided and nothing else.

"Nappa and Raditz will bring my belongings later today. Let's go." With that said he exited the room leaving her to scurry behind him.

He set a brutal pace and by the time they reached the lab she was out of breath. As they entered the entire room fell silent as her employees dropped what they were doing and stared at Vegeta, who ignored them as he strode into her, no their, quarters.

Their eyes followed him as he left then snapped back to her in a silent demand for an explanation. She moved to the center of the room and they crowded closer to her.

"Well I guess you guys heard about last night?" They took this as an open invitation to barrage her with questions.

"Are you really mated to _him_?"

"Is mated like married?"

"So you are a Princess?"

"Do you know what kind of man he is?" The last was said with a tone of disgust.

She held up her hands to quiet them and in a firm voice she addressed their concerns. "Yes, I am aware of what kind of man that he is, just like I am aware that we have all had to do things we didn't want to." She eyed them all meaningfully before continuing. She hated lying to them but it had to be done.

"Yes, we are mated and as far as I can figure that's like being married. Vegeta will be living with me for now on so you will be seeing a lot of him and his men. As for me being a Princess." She shrugged. "I guess, after all he is a Prince."

"Yah, of a dead race," Sneered one of her employees.

"That may be, but I wouldn't mention that around him if I were you." They took the hint and they shifted uncomfortably.

"Bulma." She looked over to see that Delia was the one to speak. She was a beautiful creature with pale skin that was dusted with gold flecks. She had violet eyes and platinum blonde hair. Her features were exquisitely perfect and she could easily have any male that she wanted, if she wasn't so painfully shy. She had a wounded air about her that begged you to reach out and protect her, which was why she was on Bulma's team. She wasn't the best scientist, but Bulma couldn't bear to leave her behind to fend on her own. When she spoke she did so in a low whisper, almost as if she expected you to lash out at her at any time.

"Yes, Delia?" Bulma changed her tone automatically when speaking to the young woman, so not to scare her. Experience had taught her that if you spoke sharply to Delia the woman would instantly retreat and not speak for days. The woman fidgeted at being the center of attention for the group, but whatever she wanted must have been important.

"What about your work?" Delia was referring to her spy network, which everyone here was involved in. Bulma smiled reassuringly.

"It will continue, just because I am having a little fun on the side, doesn't mean I will stop what I am doing." Everyone nodded in understanding and she excused herself to go find Vegeta, before they could question her more intently.

She didn't find him in the living area and she figured that he was in the GR. She went into the foyer that housed the regen tank and turned right instead of left. Against the wall sat her private work station that was equipped with various monitors and overflowing with paperwork.

She switched on the monitor that gave her a view of the GR and was immediately captivated by the sight. Vegeta was bare-chested in the center of the room performing intricate steps to a beautiful kata. She stared for a few moments before she forcefully shook herself out of her trance.

"Vegeta." She spoke into the microphone to get his attention.

"What?" He continued his dance without pausing and the sculpted muscles of his back rippled with his movements. She couldn't stop herself from licking her lips.

She cleared her throat before speaking again. "We have to talk about our living arrangements."

"What about them?" He sounded bored with the conversation.

"Well if you have noticed, although my quarters are slightly larger than normal, it only has one bedroom." Her rooms consisted of a small kitchen off of the living room, which doubled as a dinning area. From the living room you entered into a mid sized bedroom, which you had to go through to get to the very small bathroom. (A/N Yah think apartment people, sigh, someday I will own a house.)

"So."

She rolled her eyes. "Well I figure that we can take turns sleeping on the bed and the couch." She didn't want to make him sleep on the couch all the time, that wouldn't be fair.

"That's not necessary woman." He was starting to sound annoyed with the conversation.

"It's not?" Her brow furrowed.

"No, I will train at night, while you sleep. That way I can continue my normal activities around the base during the day." He moved into a low stance and began to shadow box.

"Oh." What he said was actually pretty smart. If he trained all day, people would wonder why he never came out of her rooms to train in the base gym any more.

"But when will you sleep?" She asked.

"I will nap in the mornings. It will not be too abnormal if I spend some time in your rooms during the day, just not all day." His bare back was starting to gleam with sweat and she almost became distracted.

"You need more sleep than a couple hours a day Vegeta." She argued.

"No, I don't. Saiyans need less sleep than you weaklings. Now go away woman." He growled.

She huffed and switched off her equipment just as she heard the ding of the front door. She made her way though the living room to answer the door. She opened it to see Delia with Raditz standing behind her. Delia refused to look up from the floor and as soon as Bulma appeared she scurried off to her work station.

Raditz turned to watch the woman go and Bulma frowned at his action. When he turned around he blinked at her hard look, but didn't say anything. He held up a duffel bag in one hand and a set of armor in the other.

"Has it been scanned?" She asked coolly. He nodded at her and she grabbed the duffel from his hand while indicating he should leave the armor propped up against the wall inside the door. He then turned to leave, striding out the exit without looking back.

She closed the door and looked down at the duffel. _Is this everything he owns in the world?_ She shrugged and took the bag into the bedroom where she began to hang his clothes in the closet for him. She then went back out into the lab and began to work on her projects for a few hours.

A rumbling in her stomach alerted her that she needed to eat sometime today. She briefly thought about Vegeta, but she figured he wouldn't want to be disturbed again. She gathered her stuff and exited the lab only to come to a skidding stop when she encountered Nappa and Raditz standing on either side of the door.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"Guarding the door." Replied Nappa dryly.

She raised an eyebrow, but decided it must be a Saiyan thing and started off down the hall only to realize that she was being followed. She turned around to eye Raditz.

"Now, what are you doing?"

"Guarding you." Replied Raditz.

"I don't need guarding." She frowned deeply at him.

"You are our Prince's mate, you will be guarded at all times." He answered smoothly.

She opened her mouth to reply but the impassive expression on both men's faces told her that arguing would do nothing but waste her time. She shrugged and headed off to the cafeteria.

When she entered the room everyone who was eating stopped in mid bite. They stared at her incredulously for a second before their brains kicked in. Everyone dropped their gaze to their food so quickly, she thought for sure they would get a head rush. As she moved towards the food counter she saw more than one man get up and leave without finishing their food. Normally she would have to wait in line to pick up whatever food items she wanted, but curiously everyone seemed to evaporate in front of her. She smirked as she began to fill her tray, looking over at Raditz who was just standing there.

"Are you hungry?" She asked.

He nodded that he was and she indicated that he should get some food too. He began to fill his tray with an impossible amount of food while she made her way to the nearest table. He sat down across from her and began to eat with incredible speed.

"Do all Saiyans eat that much?" She asked curiously.

"Yes, we require vast amounts of food to sustain our greater strength." She rolled her eyes; leave it to a Saiyan to brag while eating at the same time. Suddenly she was struck with a thought.

"Do you require less sleep than most humanoids?"

He shrugged. "I guess, we need only to sleep about five hours a night."

"Can you sleep less than that if you have too?"

"During long campaigns we can go weeks only sleeping one or two hours a night and we can go up to five days without sleeping at all without any ill effects. However we have to eat a great deal in order to keep going."

She thought about the chair in Vegeta's room. "Can you go longer than a couple of weeks without a full nights sleep?" He shrugged and continued to wolf down his food.

"Vegeta doesn't seem to sleep that much." She murmured.

Raditz looked up from his tray, piercing her with his dark eyes. "I wouldn't concern yourself with that Miss Briefs." He said coldly.

She shifted at his harsh tone, and dropped her gaze down to her plate. She knew a set down when she heard one. They ate in silence for a few more minutes before Raditz spoke again.

"Who was that girl earlier?" He asked.

"What girl?" Bulma was confused.

"The golden skinned one in your lab." He didn't look up from his food but she could tell that he was very interested in her reply. She frowned deeply at him.

"Her name is Delia and you are not to bother her Raditz, is that understood?" She used her most autocratic voice when addressing him. He was not the only one who knew how to give a set down. He nodded at her words, but didn't look up at her. They spoke no more and she left him at the door to the lab without another thought on the matter.

Vegeta didn't come out of the GR for three days. When she had asked him about making an appearance in the base he growled that he would in a couple of days, after he was done. On the fourth day she flipped on the monitor to demand that he at least come out to eat, but all she saw was his prone body on the floor.


	8. Eat!

Disclaimer: Don't own it.

Chapter Eight

Eat!

Vegeta opened his onyx eyes to glare at the blue-haired woman as she worked at her desk. She wore a white lab coat that hung to her mid calves, over a navy business type suit. At the moment she had her long legs crossed so that it fell to the floor leaving them bared to his burning gaze. His eyes latched onto the bouncing foot that she had slung over her knee and followed it up to her creamy thighs revealed by her short navy skirt.

His eyes trailed up to her profile and he snarled inwardly as she parted her red lips to chew on the tip of the pencil she was holding. She picked up a clipboard and stood to walk over to him. He snapped his eyes closed and he felt her ki approach the regen tank, where he was floating. He lifted his lids slightly to peer at her under lowered lashes. She wrote some information down on her board, scowling deeply and muttering under her breath. She checked her figures once more against the data from the tank, before stalking back to her workstation.

He observed her stealthily for the next few hours, while the murky fluid worked its healing magic. Her movements were graceful and elegant, solidifying the notion that she was an untouchable goddess in his mind. In fact, he was so engrossed in watching her that he was surprised when the tank dinged and the fluid began to drain away.

Bulma tensed but did not turn to face him, her disapproval radiated out from her in waves. Vegeta scowled, the woman was angry with him and he did not feel like squabbling with her. He pulled off his mask and stepped naked from the tank.

"There is a towel and some clothes on the chair." Her words were controlled, brimming with unvoiced anger and he felt his tail wind tighter around his waist in response to her tone. He dried himself quickly and dressed in a fresh uniform. He glanced at the door, briefly thinking of making a hasty exit, but the Prince of All Saiyans did not run from a fight. Besides he had a suspicious feeling that she would hunt him down through the corridors like an animal anyways.

He picked up the straight back chair that his clothes had rested on and set it down with a loud clank next to the onna. He sat down facing her and crossed his arms across his chest, looking at her expectantly. She picked up a chart with a picture and handed it to him.

"This is a microcellular scan of your body before you began training." He glanced at the chart not really understanding what he was looking at.

She handed him a second chart. "This is a scan after a week of training. As you can see the numbers have increased exponentially. As your ki increases your cells have to break themselves down and then rebuild themselves to be stronger and more resilient in order to contain your greater power." He looked at the chart and he could see the numbers were three times larger than the first chart. This looked correct since he had felt his strength triple after the first week of training.

"How did you get these scans woman?"

"The machine outside not only scans for bugs, but your bio's as well. The data is then transferred to only my computer for analysis." She explained calmly.

He snarled. "I didn't agree to that, Bulma."

She sighed and handed him a third chart, ignoring his outburst. "This is your status from the regeneration tank read out." He glared at her a moment before glancing down at the numbers. His head shot back up and he growled gutturally at the woman.

"What is this crap?"

"Apparently you have suffered a backslide." She sniffed.

"I can see that, you bitch. Why?" He spat as his anger simmering violently below the surface.

At his words Bulma's face hardened and her voice became icy. "As far as I can see, the lack of food deprived your cells, forcing them to cannibalize your ki in order to satisfy your demands on your body. In short, you starved yourself."

The chart crumpled in Vegeta's hand as anger bloomed inside of him. All that time wasted. All that training for nothing. He stood with a roar and Bulma shrank back into her seat, inching away from the deadly man who towered over her. He grabbed the back of his chair and flung it violently against the wall causing it to shatter on impact. He glared down at the pale woman, his hands clenched at his sides, before he turned to stalk out of the room.

"Where are you going?" She asked shakily.

"To eat." He said as he disappeared through the doorway. She released a shaky breath, hopelessly attempting to calm herself. After a few moments, she finished up her work and returned to the lab, trying her best to appear as if nothing was wrong. It was only midday so she had plenty of time to relax before that unpredictable male came back.

"Delia would you get me a sandwich from the Mess Hall?" Bulma asked the girl who seemed to be staring off into space. Delia jumped and looked at her boss.

"Oh, sure." She said softly before hopping off her stool. She scurried out of the lab and past Nappa who was standing guard outside. She briefly wondered where the dark haired man was. She had to admit he was handsome. His thick, black knee-length hair begged to be touched, but he was so intimidating. Whenever they were in the same room together he stared at her, his black eyes piercing her very soul and extracting all of her secrets. As she entered the lift she shuddered at the thought.

She entered the cafeteria and darted up to the food counter, being sure to keep her head down and trying not to make any eye contact. Halfway across the room she felt a familiar tingle at the back of her neck, causing her to look up to locate the source. Her wide lavender eyes met vast darkness. It was him. He was sitting at a table with his Prince, who was bolting down food.

The tables around them were conspicuously empty, which gave Raditz a clear view of the counter and her. She almost stumbled at being caught in the web of his intense gaze, but she righted herself quickly and wrenched her eyes away from his.

She scuttled up to the counter, snatching up a sandwich before practically racing out of the room. In her haste, she didn't notice a blue-skinned man stand up to follow her from the room, but Raditz did. A dark shadow settled on his handsome features.

"Excuse me, My Prince." Vegeta grunted at him while continuing to eat. Years of experience had taught Raditz how to decipher Vegeta's differing responses. Once he had received permission to leave the table, he rose and strode out of the room after the blonde woman.

Delia hurried down the hall, unaware that she was being stalked. She was almost to the lift when she felt a strong arm encircle her waist and a hand clamp over her mouth. The sandwich fell from her numb fingers, her heart pounded loudly. It's him, she thought as she was hauled into a dark inlet. She was slammed against the wall with enough force to cause her to loose her breath. Her eyes popped open and instead of the coal black orbs she was expecting she met a pair of cloudy blue eyes filled with malicious intent.

Instantly, her paralysis unlocked and she began to kick, scream and bite with an intensity that would have shocked those who knew her. Before her attacker could retaliate he was jerked off of her and thrown violently into the opposite wall. There was a bright flash of light and the man became a dark stain on the paneling.

She blinked and looked up to see him. She began to snarl like a feral animal and Raditz cocked an eyebrow before taking a step back.

"I am not going to hurt you." He stooped down to pick up her wrapped sandwich and held it out to her. She made no move to reach for it and an approving smirk curled up at the corner of his mouth. He gently tossed it to her and she deftly caught it.

Before turning away he made one last comment. "You are too beautiful to be walking around by yourself, Onna."

Once Raditz was gone, Delia darted from the inlet and ran the rest of the way back to the lab, giving the sandwich to Bulma before retreating back to her desk. She tried to work the rest of the afternoon, but the image of the handsome black-eyed man haunted her.

Vegeta made his way back to their quarters around six that evening and without a word to Bulma he walked into the GR to train. Bulma sighed deeply before turning the opposite direction to exit the outter lab. She looked at the two warriors who stood guard.

"Did he eat today?" She asked in a neutral tone. They looked at her blankly for a moment before Raditz answered.

"Yes, My Princess."

"When?"

"Midday." She nodded and turned to go back to her room. Once in her living room she turned on her vid phone and dialed the mess hall. Uri, the head chef answered the line.

"I would like to order take out." Bulma said coolly.

The chef curled his lips slightly. "We do not deliver ma'am."

Bulma stared at him impassively, a look she had learned from Vegeta. The man broke into a sweat and thirty seconds later he was writing down her order. She also placed a standing order for food to be delivered at six every night for now on.

When the food arrived, she arranged it on the table, being sure to make a small plate for herself. She walked into the foyer and typed in a code at her computer, before going back to the table. A few seconds later a furious Saiyan stormed into the room.

"Oh Vegeta I was just coming to get you. I thought you would like some food." Bulma smiled at him sweetly.

"Woman, that damn machine is broke. Fix it." He snarled at her, but she didn't miss his quick glance at the table.

"Oh, well I'm sure I can fix it in no time, why don't you sit down to eat and I will take a look at it after dinner." His narrowed gaze rested on her face before he stalked over to her and began sniffing her like some sort of dog.

"You are lying to me woman." He hissed.

"Of course I am lying to you Vegeta. You already know that. We both are lying to each other, deceit is the name of the game after all. What has got your spandex in a bunch is that you don't know what I am lying to you about." Her eyes twinkled with amusement as she leaned over to pull off the lid to a steaming tray.

The scent of roast kusoack filled the air and Vegeta's stomach growled loudly. Kusoack was something like roast pig from Earth and it was very tasty. He gave her one last glare before seating himself and heaping food onto his plate. Bulma followed suit, daintily eating her food while watching Vegeta wolf down his. To her surprise he displaying impeccable table manners, but his stomach seemed bottomless. She thought wistfully back to the days when she and her parents sat around the table after their day, laughing at the outrageous stories that her dad would tell about the lab, and how her mom would coo at her when Bulma told them about yet another A she got in school.

"So, how was your day today?" She wanted to recapture the feeling of happiness she had felt then and she figured that they were something like a family now, besides it only seemed right to have a dinner conversation with the person you were living with. He growled something unintelligible and continued to eat.

"Did you go to the gym today?" He shrugged in a manner that seemed to indicate yes.

"Did you do anything else today?" He paused to glare at her.

"Woman, why are you being so nosey?" He growled at her.

"I am not being nosey." She replied indignantly. "I just thought we could talk about our day. You know, catch up." He stared at her in astonishment. _There is that word again. Talk. She wants to talk to me. Why does she keep doing that? What does she think to accomplish?_ He growled inwardly.

"I did nothing of importance today, onna." He dropped his head and continued to eat.

Bulma took a deep breath and reminded herself that sometimes you have to lead by example. She began to relate her day cheerily to Vegeta, trying to make it as humorous as possible. He made no response, but he would occasionally lift his head to look at her before snatching up more food. He did not participate in the conversation, but on a positive note, he didn't tell her to shut up either, so she prattled on.

And that's how it went for several weeks. She made sure that dinner was waiting for him by the time he came home each evening. She always waylaid him before he reached the GR, and made sure he had more than enough to eat. She would tell him about her day and after a while he began to respond to her. They never discussed their plans for the future or their shattered past, they concentrated only on their present. Their time in the here and now.

Bulma was examining some papers in front of her, humming happily. Vegeta was becoming stronger every day. At the rate he was increasing he would be able to defeat Frieza within the year. The only problem was that even though they had the power stats on Ginyu Force, they only had the power ratings for Frieza in his first form. Every one knew Frieza had a total of three forms, but unfortunately no one had ever scanned him while he was in those forms. More than likely, because no one had ever lived after he transformed. She sighed, she would try to calculate his approximate strength but what it really boiled down to was her best guess at how strong he was.

She put away her papers, frowning as her stomach rumbled with hunger. She exited the lab and smiled at Nappa as he fell in step behind her. Every afternoon Vegeta took off for the base gym taking one of his guards with him to train. He always left either Nappa or Raditz to escort her around the base if she needed to leave the lab. He had explained to her, that since she was now _mated_ to him, that she was a possible target. A lot of people hated Vegeta and they would hate her by association.

She walked into the cafeteria smirking as she saw the soldiers sidle away from her. Even though it had been relatively quiet for the last couple of weeks, the men of the base were still wary of her, even more so, since she was always in the company of a Saiyan. She noticed a lot of new faces, and she heard a smattering of conversation as she passed through the room. Men who had been stationed there for the last few months were filling in the new recruits on who she was and exactly why they should stay away from her. She might as well have a sign on her back that said man killer.

She was at the lunch counter when she felt someone slide into place next to her. This in itself was a surprise. No one came near her, much less touched her. She looked up to see a dark skinned, dark haired man that looked vaguely familiar. She heard Nappa's warning growl in the background, but she was still stunned at the man's sudden appearance to respond.

"Are you Bulma Briefs?" His voice was low with a sultry accent. The familiar feeling was getting stronger.

"That is none of your business runt. Move away from her." Nappa inserted himself between her and the stranger. From the corner of her eye she could see the tables closest to her being vacated.

The man's face twisted into a snarl of hate. "You are the only blue haired slut on the base so you must be her." He tried to lunge for her, but Nappa blocked his attack. The man simply knocked Nappa away like he was a gnat and grabbed Bulma around the throat.

"You killed my brother, bitch." He snarled into her face.

He grabbed her arm, twisting it until the bone snapped. She let out a screech of pain and she heard Nappa growl behind her. Before she knew what was happening she was being tossed across the room only to hit the far wall with a thud. She fell to the ground and heard the sickening crack of her leg bone as she fell on it awkwardly. Pain lanced through her body squeezing her lungs until she began to black out. With a conscious effort she looked over to see the man belt Nappa across the face sending him flying. Her last thought before darkness took her was one name.

_Vegeta._


	9. Brotherly Love

Disclaimer: If I owned it, I would have made sure that Vegeta was as strong if not stronger than Goku.

Author's Note: Thanks so much for the reviews. It is what keeps me going. I like knowing that there are people out there that are enjoying something that I have created. Feedback is more than welcome.

Now tell me honestly, if you lived on this base would you ever go back to that dinning hall. For the love of the Kami talk about a hot spot for trouble! Ha ha ha. Well enjoy the story and merry met.

Chapter Nine

Brotherly Love

Something was wrong. Vegeta paused in the middle of the gym floor, his target forgotten, as he cocked his head to one side. He could have sworn he heard the woman whisper his name.

_Vegeta, I am under attack!_

Nappa's voice cut through his mind like a steel blade. He rapidly locked onto Nappa's ki and he motioned to Raditz to follow as he sped out the door and down the hall towards the cafeteria before he even formed his reply message.

_Where is Bulma?_

_She has been injured._

At Nappa's response, Vegeta snarled audibly and he began to move faster. The warriors in the hall were haphazardly thrown against the wall by flashes of light that passed by as Vegeta phased in and out of sight.

They entered the mess hall to see Nappa dangling from the grasp of a large angry man. His skin was a warm chestnut brown, kissed by some unknown sun and his dark locks were cut short in a military fashion. He wore tan battle armor edged in black, heavily scuffed from numerous conflicts. His fury clouded his features like a thunderstorm, dark and foreboding. He was still unkempt from his journey and it was apparent that he sought his goal directly upon arriving on the base.

Vegeta's agile mind, honed from years of evaluating his enemies and cataloging every aspect of their appearance and behavior was able to recognize who the man was immediately. Or at least who he was related too. In a glance, Vegeta was able to ascertain his adversary's origins, physical limitations and mental focus. The man's mind, to his own detriment, was not primed for battle, but instead he was intent on seeking revenge on what he thought to be a defenseless and unprotected woman. It was a drastic error on his part and a perfect example of why Vegeta never assumed anything.

In the few seconds that it took for them travel from the gym to the cafeteria, Nappa had sustained series injuries and was teetering on the edge of unconsciousness. Soldiers who were trying to escape the room skidded to a stop when they saw Vegeta, yet again, blocking their only exit. More than one warrior swore to themselves that they would rather starve than eat in the cafeteria again, since it seemed to have become the most dangerous place in the galaxy.

"Put him down." Spat the Prince of All Saiyans. To everyone in the room it looked as though Vegeta only saw the man who was accosting his bodyguard. In reality, Vegeta had noted Bulma's awkwardly twisted body on the floor and it took most of his will power not to howl in rage.

The man wrenched his attention from the bald man he had trapped in a choke hold to glare at the intruder and then just as quickly dismissed him as unimportant. His second error for the day. He flung Nappa's limp form into the corner, satisfied that he wouldn't be getting up anytime soon and then turned his attention to his intended target. He began to stalk towards Bulma's crumpled form, only to be cut off by Vegeta.

"Bad move, shortie." Bulma's attacker barked. "I don't have a problem with you, I just want her. She killed my brother." The man's lip peeled back over his white teeth, bringing to mind a rabid canine.

Vegeta smirked, already knowing the answer to the puzzle Bulma had asked herself minutes before. "You are a Raiken. Let me guess, your brother was Raja."

The man's eyes grew wide with shock at Vegeta's deductive reasoning. "Yes, how did you know?"

Vegeta's smirk grew into a taunting grin. The memory of Raja's death by the woman's hand while he had floated helpless in the regeneration tank fluttered through his mind. She had displayed remarkable bravery that day, only matched by her stupidity. She had been foolish to challenge a warrior. How she had managed to live this long was a constant surprise to Vegeta.

"Because I watched while my mate slaughtered him and I laughed while she did it."

The man grew enraged as his face twisted into a mask of hate and despair. "I, Jara will avenge my brother."

"Your brother does not deserve to be avenged. He was a weakling that allowed himself to be killed by a female, not even a warrior woman at that." Vegeta scoffed. This man was more foolish than his brother if he thought he would survive a fight with the Prince of All Saiyans.

"I will kill you and then I will fuck your little mate until she gasps her last breath." Jara's words dripped with malice. The hate rolled off the taller man in thick black waves nearly choking the occupants in the room.

Vegeta's eyes became shuttered and his face hardened into stone. His nostrils quivered like a predator that has scented its prey. The man didn't seem to notice the dangerous look that came over Vegeta, but the remaining men in the room did. They had seen it once, just before one of their own had been decimated in this very room. They quickly filtered out, not willing to be an accidental victim in the fight that was about to ensue.

Jara lashed out, intending to catch Vegeta in the face with a heavy right hook. At the last moment Vegeta phased out of sight, only to reappear behind the man, slamming his elbow into his back. The man flew forward nearly colliding with the wall before he caught himself. Jara straightened and looked at Vegeta, a surprised glint in his eye.

"So you are stronger than you appear. Well then, it's been a while since I have had a good fight." Jara planted his feet, while fisting his hands at his sides. With a load roar a red light burst around him as his power increased. Vegeta watched with amusement as the man's pathetic energy jumped up, but he was distracted from the sight when he saw the man's ki wake thrust into Bulma, bouncing her a few feet along the floor. Vegeta suppressed the urge to growl as she landed in a graceless heap, a soft moan lisping from her lips.

Taking a calculated risk, Vegeta rushed the man hitting him with enough force to knock him through the back wall and out of the complex. He landed heavily on top of Jara and Vegeta struck him hard in the gut before rebounding off him to look back at the hole he had created. He released the breath he had been holding when he saw that the automatic force fields had sprung into place as soon as the breach had occurred, protecting Bulma from the nearly airless vacuum.

Primus was a military base that was constructed on a chunk of a destroyed world. The ground was mostly silt like ash and all vegetation had died long ago. The base was built on the dark side of the asteroid, so it would be hidden from any passing ships, and the only illumination was from the soft glow of a nearby moon. Vegeta stood with the backdrop of the broken planet behind him, his shadowy physique outlined in silver moonlight. With his glittering eyes and wicked sneer he looked like the demon knight, Bulma so often referred to him as.

The asteroid still orbited a small sun, so it had a very light gravity and an extremely thin atmosphere. In fact, Vegeta was one of the only warriors who could fight in such a hostile environment for an extended period of time. He looked back expecting to see his opponent choking for air, but instead he felt his jaw crack as his face met the other man's rock hard fist. He recovered quickly and fluidly spun around to kick the man in the gut.

The force of the blow sent Jara shooting into the air and almost out of the gravity field. He flared his ki at the last moment and brought his reckless careening under control. Raja's brother floated in mid air as he brought both his hands in front of him to form a scarlet ball of power in his palms. Vegeta still stood next to the wall that separated Bulma from the outside and dodging the blast meant risking damage to the facility. In an effort to draw the man's fire, he blinked out of sight to rematerialize a few feet from Jara. However, he misjudged and his opponent released the blast sooner than Vegeta expected him too. He caught the blow square in the chest, sending him rocketing back to the ground creating a large impact crater.

He laid there for a moment, absorbing the burning pain that seared his entire torso. He choked on the sooty dust that billowed around him and between the thin atmosphere and the blow he just took he had to struggle to get breath into his lungs.

_Stupid woman, she's going to get me killed before I have a chance to defeat Frieza. I could have finished this idiot by now, if I didn't have to worry about her safety. She is becoming a liability._

From his prone position on the ground, Vegeta could see the upper levels of the base. Crowds of people were pressed against the windows of the observation deck, avidly watching the battle. There was a great deal of pushing and prodding among the throng and Vegeta's dark eyes narrowed when he saw money exchanging hands. He snorted, now he couldn't use his full strength or word would get back to Frieza. Jara appeared hovering above him and Vegeta growled loudly in annoyance. He got to his feet and for show he began to power up. His blue ki twisted around him, infusing his cells with energy. The power shook the ground causing the dust to float up and dance with his swirling wake. Levitating rocks burst into chunks as the sparks of his ki flew out of his body. He raised his power only slightly higher than his opponents, for the benefit of those watching.

He sprung up from the hole, intending on punching the man in the ribs. Jara blocked with his knee and began to swing his hammer like fists furiously. Vegeta blocked the oncoming blows in an almost surreal manner. The man seemed almost ridiculously slow, but the fact of the matter was that Vegeta was just so much faster than him. Vegeta could actually see Jara's moves before he even began his assault like some sort of battle precognition.

Vegeta felt out Jara's power and compared it to the rest of the warriors on the base. Jara was by far the most powerful. He had taken Nappa, an elite saiyan without any trouble, yet he was feeble compared to Vegeta. The training in the GR had definitely paid off and Vegeta could not stop the feral grin that spread across his lips.

_I will destroy Frieza soon._

The man saw the grin and became enraged. He was incapable of believing that the small man in front of him would have anything else on his mind other than their battle. The only explanation for the arrogant smirk, which Jara could think of, was that the cocky asshole found his pain to be amusing.

"How dare you mock me! You are only jealous that I have a family while yours whimpers in Hell." Jara was also able to reason out the facts and he had ascertained that this must be the monkey prince, whose race Frieza had personally sent to the next dimension.

"Hn." Was Vegeta's disinterested response, he had long ago come to terms with the fate of his family, besides there were worse places than hell.

Jara was incessant and with a roar he attacked viciously. Vegeta was easily able to block every one of his blows, but for the sake of his audience, he allowed the much weaker man to get in a few punches. It was almost more than Vegeta's pride could handle.

_How the onna would laugh if she could see me now. Play acting for these imbeciles._

To entertain himself Vegeta decided to taunt the young man in front of him. "When I first came to the base I beat your brother so badly that he begged for mercy. I should have killed him then and saved him the dishonor of dying at the hand of a ki-less woman." Vegeta laughed with malicious enjoyment at Jara's strangled response.

The man gathered his remaining energy and pride around him and in a desperate bid he grabbed Vegeta by his upswept hair. He pulled the smaller man closer, while pummeling his face. Vegeta was pushed to his limit, he would no longer submit to this mockery of a battle, he had training to attend to He grabbed the man's wrist that held him by his thick spikes and squeezed until he felt the bones snap and give under the pressure. The man before him groaned with pain and he released his grip on the Prince's mane. Vegeta held the man's hand out to the side while returning everyone one of his blows to his face. The man crumpled to his knees while still being held by Vegeta.

Vegeta stepped down on the man's chest forcing him to the ground and in a fit of fury he tore the man's arm from his body flinging it into space. The man screamed in agony as his reddish black blood poured out onto the ground. The crowd in the upper deck pulsed with primal excitement at seeing blood brutally shed. Vegeta tipped his head back to watch the final exchange of money a victorious smirk on his cruel lips, a few less experienced warriors stepped back as though they could ward of the Prince's ebbing aura power.

"Please." Jara begged, gaining Vegeta's attention once again. "I only wanted to avenge my brother." He sobbed brokenly, his despair at failing his quest apparent with every word.

"Well that was your mistake, wasn't it." Snarled an uncaring Vegeta.

"It is no mistake to love your family." The man whispered with a certainty that made Vegeta's skin crawl.

"Family makes you weak." Vegeta hissed.

"What about your mate?" The man desperately pleaded, trying to reach the cold man on any level, unaware of the Prince's self loathing at his twisted emotions that he felt for the blue haired scientist.

"My point exactly." Vegeta's voice was low with scorn as he raised his hand. Without blinking he blasted the man into the next dimension, his screams unheard by the Prince.

Vegeta walked around to the air lock and entered the base once again. Moving quickly he returned to the cafeteria to find Raditz bent over a barely conscious Bulma. He strode up to them and swatted the long haired man aside.

"See to Nappa." He snarled, biting back the anger he felt at another man being near her when she was injured.

He bent down and picked up Bulma gently. She moaned and he quickly scanned her, listing her injuries in his head. She had a broken arm and leg and probably several bruises along her back where she had hit the wall. He sighed deeply, if the woman died then he would lose access to his GR, he pushed away any other thoughts of what he might feel if she did die.

"Vegeta?" She murmured as she opened her eyes to look blurrily at him.

"Hn." She relaxed against him and some of her pain seemed to ease. He could almost physically feel her draw strength from his presence and he an inexplicable urge to open himself to her and freely give her what she needed. For a brief moment he would have taken away her pain if he could. Mentally chastising himself he silently took her down to the Regeneration Room and set her on one of the exam tables. She was a little more alert and she looked at him in question. Behind him, Raditz came in with Nappa slung over his shoulder.

"Put him in the tank then come over here. I am going to need your help." Vegeta ordered him. Raditz nodded and headed to the nearest tank. A few minutes later he appeared at Vegeta's side and looked down at Bulma. She was in sad shape, her arm was twisted at an odd angle and he could see the white gleam of her femur bone.

He moved to stand at her shoulders, knowing what his Prince needed him to do. The tanks could repair breaks but they had to be set first. Vegeta looked down into Bulma's big blue eyes and he felt something clench inside of him.

"Bulma, this is going to hurt." He spoke gently but his face didn't reveal any of his rioting emotions. With characteristic brutality he shoved his reactions to her pain in deep corner of his unused heart.

She swallowed. "I know. I still don't understand why you people don't have anesthetic."

"A warrior does not need a pain killer. It is a sign of weakness." Vegeta replied quietly.

"Weakness, weakness, weakness. It's all you ever talk about." She hissed in annoyance.

"Hn."

She closed her eyes tightly and she felt Vegeta's firm grip around her wrist as Raditz pinned her shoulders to the table. With a sharp twist Vegeta jerked her elbow back into place. Bulma bit down hard on her lip, not wanting to yell out and lower herself in Vegeta's eyes. This earned her a smirk of approval from Vegeta, but that quickly melted away when he examined her leg. This break was much messier and the pain would be excruciating when he set it.

Raditz moved down to her side and he rested his weight across her hips. Vegeta wrapped his hands around her knee, almost dreading what he had to do. With a smooth motion, he pulled her leg straight until the bone disappeared back into her flesh then rotated it sharply until he heard it snap into place. With his movements all of Bulma's bravado disappeared and she screamed loudly causing both men to cringe at her shrieking. Her good hand fisted into Raditz long hair pulling it so hard that his lips curled into a snarl.

Her yells quieted into whimpers and she released her grip on his hair. Raditz moved away quickly least she grabbed for it again. Vegeta picked up a pair of sanitized tweezers from the tray and began to dig out slivers of shattered bone from the wound. Bulma's cries filled the room again and Vegeta was surprised that she did not pass out from the agony.

Vegeta set down the tweezers and picked up a scalpel. Growling at Raditz, who took the hint and turned away, he bent over Bulma, who looked up at him with wide eyes. He inserted the knife under the hem of her skirt and with one smooth motion he sliced her dress up the center baring her beautiful but bruised body to his heated gaze. He then carefully cut her sleeves, leaving it a ragged pile beneath her. She blushed slightly, but he brushed away the fabric impassively, ignoring her bra and panties as well as the throbbing ache in his groin that threatened to rear its head.

Tears streamed down her face and she sniffed when Vegeta gently picked her up off the table. For some reason her tears bothered him and he sought to comfort her.

"Woman, for someone who is not a warrior, you spend too much time in the Regeneration Tanks. You will have to correct that." He said to her softly while he set the dials.

"Humph, this coming from a man who has to go into the tank every time he comes back from a mission." Her voice was watery and filled with pain, but she gifted him with a small smile as he set her into the tank. He handed her a mask as he stepped back to close the door. He sat there watching her until the tank was full and she was lulled to sleep, sensing innately that it would comfort her for him to do so. As soon as she was asleep, he left the room, without looking back, leaving Raditz to guard her.


	10. Surprise!

Disclaimer: I don't own it and if you try to sue me Vegeta will kick your ass.

A/N: A torque is a type of necklace, most commonly it is worn by men, but some can be made daintier for women. It's made of thick braided metal and does not clasp. Instead it gapes in the front and the tips are usually in the design of lion or dragon heads.

Chapter Ten

Surprise!

Several more months passed and Vegeta's strength increase by leaps and bounds. He far surpassed anyone on the Ginyu Force and was quickly gaining on Frieza.

As exciting as the news was, Bulma was beginning to feel restless. She was dangerously close to achieving her goal and she couldn't help but to feel antsy. Her desire to destroy Frieza festered inside of her and naturally she was afraid that her victory would be snatched away at any moment.

However that wasn't why she was restless. No, it was a certain sexy Saiyan Prince's fault. Once they had been officially mated there was no reason to stage little shows of affection to cement their relationship. In fact, they were never even seen together outside of the lab, unless it was to cause havoc on the base.

Bulma thought that once she no longer felt the sensuous glide of his hands against her skin that she would be able to suppress her rioting desire, but it just seemed to get worse. She was having intense sexual dreams about the prince, and she prayed to Kami that he didn't hear her cries of need all the way in the GR, while she begged her dream lover to take her. They spent time together each day during what she had dubbed as their "family dinner" time and she savored ever second of it. They would talk about their day, well mostly she talked, but he did listen to her. Occasionally they bickered and she found he had a wicked sense of humor which he delighted in tormenting her with. Calling her woman in his most aristocratic voice or telling her that she was ugly and stupid were his favorite ways of prodding her temper.

She didn't mind that much though, she liked that he talked to her. So now, in addition to lusting after his body, she found herself attracted to his mind as well. She was deathly afraid that she was starting to like the cold-hearted man, or worse. He was so perplexing to her. One moment he was unfeeling as an android and the next he would be a thunderstorm of repressed emotion.

Then every once in a while he would show her a side of himself that she was sure no one else saw.

She would miss him when it was all over, but what really bothered her was that she didn't know if he would miss her.

She pulled up his file and stared at the nugget of information that had been digging around in the back of her brain for the past couple of weeks. A satisfied smile, that would make a monk contemplate salacious thoughts, curled on her perfect cherry lips. At the very least she could give him something to remember her by.

Bulma observed a smiling Delia from across the lab. In the last couple of weeks the young woman had gradually changed from a frightened girl to a happy, if not shy, woman. She smiled more often and a few times she had even laughed out loud with another co-worker.

Bulma was sure it had to do with a certain handsome Saiyan. The taller one. She had caught Raditz more than once sneaking inside the lab to speak to Delia. At first when he'd enter the room Delia would cower fearfully at her desk, while he pinned her there with his onyx eyes. Without a word he would walk over and place an item at her desk, his gaze never leaving her face, before turning to walk away. Usually he gave her food from the Mess Hall, like the ripest piece of fruit or a special treat that he'd conned the chef into giving him. Once he left a beautiful golden bloom on her workstation, Bulma couldn't even imagine where he had gotten it. She had asked Vegeta about Raditz's behavior but he had just huffed and muttered something about rituals. When she tried to press him further he told her to mind her own business.

Raditz's actions reminded Bulma of a man trying to tame a skittish mare with a gentle touch instead of breaking her with a rough ride. Soon Delia stopped cringing when he came into the room and a sparkle of anticipation shone in her violet eyes. They began to talk, short exchanges at first, then they progressed into conversations and eventually Bulma had to start shooing him out so Delia would get some work done.

Bulma knew that Vegeta was in the cafeteria right now having his midday meal with Raditz. She didn't want to wait until this evening to see him, and she knew that Delia wouldn't protest a visit to see her dark haired admirer, so with a fatalistic shrug she stowed her work away.

"Come on Delia, let's get some food." The young woman looked up and smiled in agreement.

The women exited the lab and grinned at Nappa who smiled back. As they neared the door to the cafeteria, Bulma's gaze was drawn to a hastily hand written note that was taped up on the wall.

Enter at your own risk!

Bulma smirked wickedly unaware of how like Vegeta she looked at that moment, as they walked into Mess Hall, her arm linked with Delia's while they chatted merrily. There was an audible groan in the room when they entered causing the two Saiyans already eating to look up.

Raditz eyes glinted with pleasure while Vegeta's narrowed with undecipherable intensity at the sight of the two women. The girls and Nappa collected some food and started over to join the men. Some of the soldiers gathered up what they were eating and hurriedly left the cafeteria, while a few brave souls moved nearer to the exit, but stayed to watch with sick fascination. The blue haired scientist and the Saiyan Prince were rarely seen together, but when they were something interesting was bound to happen.

The table that Vegeta and Raditz were at only sat four, so Bulma put her tray down next to Vegeta's and turned to grab another chair. Before she could move away she felt something warm and furry wrap around her waist just before she was roughly jerked off her feet and onto Vegeta's lap. In a blink he had her comfortably arranged with his tail securely holding her against his chest. She opened her mouth to protest, but quickly snapped it closed. She didn't want to pass up the opportunity to be this close to him, no matter how frustrated she would be in the end.

She inhaled deeply, enjoying his masculine scent of sweat and soap. Hot spurts of desire began to race through her veins and she squirmed slightly trying to relieve the ache in her core. Determined to take advantage of the situation, she curled her arm around his neck letting her breast press against his hard chest. She repressed the urge to lean over and nibble on his ear, so instead she picked up a slice of fruit and held it up to his lips, offering him a bite, a taunting look in her eye.

When he pulled her onto his lap he tried to tell himself that he was putting on a show for the remaining soldiers, but he knew the real reason. It had been too long since he had held her in his arms. Too long since he felt her soft curves pressed up against him. When he saw her walk into the room he had wanted nothing more than to sweep her up into his arms and drink deeply from her ruby lips. He knew immediately that he would take advantage of the fact that they were in public. He was not unaware of the irony. He spent every day in the privacy of their quarters, only meters from the woman and he could not touch her, the only solace he found was in his carnal thoughts. He couldn't even sleep in the bed she provided since it was saturated in her flowery aroma. He knew he would never be able to control his torrential desire if he did, so instead he slept on the lumpy couch each morning.

But here, in public, he could slide his hands all over her taunt body, pulling her tight against him, reveling in the silken feel of her skin and it was perfectly acceptable. She melted willing into his arms and even his men didn't raise an eyebrow at his show of affection, though they would certainly do more than that if they read his decadent thoughts about the onna. He did see Nappa's curious look at seeing his tail wrapped around her slender waist. Such displays were only for real mates and were a sign of true caring, but try as he might he couldn't wrench his tail away from her.

He nearly groaned when the woman twisted her upper body to put her arm around his neck. All he had to do was turn his head slightly and his lips would be able to skim up the white column of her neck and he would be able taste her intoxicating flavor.

She reached down to pick up a piece of ripe fruit with her dainty fingers. Her pink tongue darted out to lick her upper lip as though she could already taste the burst of sweet juice in her mouth. His blood heated with anticipation, his treacherous desire wanted nothing more than to see her slip that succulent morsel passed her waiting lips, but in an unexpected twist she seductively offered the slice to him. He saw the challenging gleam in her eye and he knew that she was testing him to see how far he would go, if only she knew the depth of his lust for her luscious body. With a smirk, he leaned forward and took the fruit between his strong teeth, but not before flicking the sensitive flesh of her delicate finger with his hot tongue.

Her eyes widened a fraction when she felt his tongue caress the inside of her finger, her gaze captured by the bead of juice glistening on his lower lip. Enthralled she leaned down to lap up the flavor, her tongue feathering across his lips, before sliding into his moist cavern. His mouth was hard and yielding at the same time, his own tongue entwined with hers drawing it deeper.

He had always been the one to initiate any kisses in the past, but her shy dominance only increased his desire for her. He gripped her knee, before running his hand up her thigh and under her short skirt. He would swear to the king of hell that she wore those skirts just to torment him. As his hand got closer to her rounded orb she leaned into him, moaning her need into his mouth, while rubbing her breasts into his chest. He broke away from her luscious lips to rain kisses on her slender neck, he was rewarded by the musky perfume of her arousal and he nearly purred with delight.

Movement from the corner of his eye caught his attention and he glanced over to see Nappa's startled look. Vegeta instinctively growled at the older man who quickly dropped his head in submission. If Vegeta could smell her then so could the other males at the table. Uncontrollably, Vegeta's possessive instincts stirred to life and he wanted to reach out and pulverize the men for daring to scent his female.

Bulma frowned at him when he growled, unsure of why he looked so angry. From his expression she knew that he was no longer in the mood to play and she sighed with disappointment. She would spend another unsatisfied evening with her dream lover in the lonely twilight hours before dawn.

She turned her attention to the other occupants at the table and smiled softly. Raditz was handing Delia a sugary treat from his tray and he stealthily caressed her hand with his fingers causing her to blush deeply while he smiled wickedly down at her.

Bulma sat back and pondered the enigma of Saiyan men. Raditz seemed to have a very roguish devil may care attitude. She had seen more than one woman sigh with longing when he passed, their sinful thoughts etched on their faces. He was drop dead gorgeous and he knew how to work that to his advantage from his flirtatious demeanor that practically screamed that he would never lack for female companionship to his smoky glances that promised nights of sensual passion. Bulma would call him an immoral playboy if he wasn't so obviously infatuated with Delia. Since he had begun his courtship, for the lack of a better word, he hadn't even glanced at another woman.

She also had to applaud anyone who could draw the shy woman from her shell. Bulma had always felt that there was another person locked away deep down inside of Delia. More than likely the young woman had suffered something traumatic in her life, causing her to hide away behind a timid exterior. At any rate Raditz seemed to be good for her.

Bulma looked over at Nappa who was trying to hide his almost fatherly grin behind his hand. In the time that she had known the grisly warrior she found that she liked him a great deal. He was stern at most times, but he would bestow pearls of wisdom to the youngsters around him. He even tried to parent Vegeta on occasion and she was more than a little surprised that Vegeta listened to the older man's advice. Although, more often than not Vegeta did what he wanted, despite Nappa's council.

Vegeta held himself aloof from his men, which was to be expected she supposed. After all he was their Prince. However, they were the last of their kind and Raditz and Nappa were unquestionable loyal to Vegeta. She wondered if she came across another human whether they would form a bond based in humanity or if they would compete against each other for survival in the brutal reality of Frieza's court.

Vegeta seemed to take the blunt of all their problems on his proud shoulders. Nappa and Raditz were rarely punished for their crimes instead Vegeta took the blame for all indiscretions and accepted the repercussions silently. It was his duty as prince to do so and he took his responsibilities seriously.

Sometimes it was like you could see a sea of faces behind him. His dead race was propelling him forward to his predetermined fate whether he desired it or not. He had told her once of the Legendary and how it was his destiny to achieve the title, to be the first in a thousand years.

She had questioned in her mind the validity of his statement. It sounded to her like some sort of myth. A fantasy constructed in a fertile mind and passed down through the ages as truth. However, she was smart enough not to say that aloud.

She took in the group as a whole, and for a moment she didn't see them as monsters, but as a family, in reality however, she could not forget their true natures. They were planet killers, elite purgers, they were the best at what they did.

_Kami, it's a Manson family luncheon._

She was jerked out of her thoughts as Vegeta pushed her off his lap.

"I have to train, woman." She nodded and went to step away, but she was brought up short. She looked down to see his tail still wound around her waist. It was quickly yanked away when she looked at Vegeta, but he refused to meet her gaze and instead he stood motioning to Raditz.

Raditz leaned over to whisper something in Delia's ear that caused her to blush and giggle before he smoothly rose to stride after his Prince. Shortly after that, they left as well leaving behind a relieved and slightly disappointed audience.

Bulma was bursting with excitement and she could barely contain herself. Tonight she would be able to show Vegeta just how much their friendship mattered to her. During dinner she talked a million miles an hour and Vegeta kept casting her strange looks. She couldn't help but to grin at him like an idiot which discomforted Vegeta so he escaped into the GR earlier than usual.

Once he was gone she shot up from her chair and cleared the table in record time. She bustled around the kitchen pulling out the ingredients that she would need and measured everything to perfection. She watched closely as her baked goods browned in the oven and made sure that nothing burned.

At exactly 12:01 am she raced into the foyer and typed her code into the computer before returning to stand by the table.

"Woman, that damn machine is worthless." Growled Vegeta two seconds later. _I know she has the damned machine rigged, but threatening her will get me no where._

"I know it's such a nuisance." Bulma waved her hand in front of her. "I will have to get right on that, but first I have a surprise for you." She was practically gushing with enthusiasm and Vegeta backed away from her cautiously.

"What are you babbling about woman?" No one ever surprised the Prince of All Saiyans and lived to tell the tale.

"Happy Birthday!" She said in a sing song voice that put his teeth on edge.

_Birthday?_ _What in the seven hells is she talking about? Why are you asking me? Ask her._

"What are you talking about you idiot?" He snarled.

"On Earth we celebrate the day that we were born every year. I looked in your file and today is your Birth Day." She smiled inanely at him.

"So the fuck what? Turn on that damn machine so I can get back to training." Vegeta was furious. He had never heard of anything so stupid.

Bulma's smile didn't falter. She had figured that she would be met with some resistance from the stubborn prince. "But I made you some cookies." She pulled the plate around so he could see them. "Chocolate chip, to be precise. I had to smuggle in the chocolate from one of my sources at court."

Vegeta cocked an eyebrow. He remembered her mentioning them that night in his quarters and he was slightly curious.

"Well isn't that nice." He said with false sincerity. "I don't fucking care. Turn on the machine right now Bulma." He sneered as he stalked off towards the GR hoping that would motivate her.

"Wait!" She cried, there was a desperate ring to her voice that compelled him to turn around and look at her expectantly.

She set the plate down and picked up a square object that looked like it was wrapped in colored paper. She held it out to him. "I got you a gift."

_A what?_

"I don't…" He started angrily

"Vegeta." Her voice was gentle and her eyes took on a soft glow. "Please."

He glared at her a moment then sighed deeply. _Why do I always do what she wants me too?_ He took a step forward and snatched the box from her. He looked at the wrapping for a moment, rolling his eyes at the stupidity of the whole thing, before ripping it off. Inside was a square box that was made out of dark, rich wood that was deeply polished. It had golden hinges and a gold latch on the front. He flipped up the latch and opened the box. He felt his knees threaten to buckle and if he had had less training he would have collapsed on the floor in shock, as it was he could not contain the soft gasp that escaped him.

Nestled on the red velvet lay the Torque of Kingship. It was fashioned out of Kerithiam Quartz which was similar to the stone that the deserts of Vegeta-sei were made of, but it had black veins running through the red. It was softer than the desert stone and could be manipulated like metal when heated. Once worked its appearance was smooth and glossy like lava rock. The band was about an inch thick and braided, the ends were designed to lie in the hollow of the wearer's throat. The tips were sculpted to form the heads of Oozarus, the Saiyan were-ape form, their lips drawn back to show their fierce fangs and rubies were inserted for their eyes.

On Vegeta-sei when a prince became king he was endowed with the Torque as a symbol of his sovereignty. The last time Vegeta had saw the Torque it was being crushed under Frieza's heel.

Flashback

"I'm glad that you have seen the wisdom of giving me what I want Vegeta. Your son will be very happy fostered under my care." Frieza's voice slithered down the young prince's spine as he watched his father bow before the lizard. The betrayal he felt inside twisted in his gut like a knife. How pathetic his father looked, kneeling before that monster like some sort of peasant. He didn't even protest when the tyrant refused to address him with the respected title of King. The prince vowed that he would never be humiliated in such a manner. Such are the rash thoughts of youth.

Prince Vegeta didn't understand why his father allowed himself to be treated this way. How could he give away his only son like he was trash to be discarded in the street? He boiled with anger. They were Saiyans, the strongest fighters in the universe and they were led by a coward.

"Now that you have accepted my authority, you will no longer need this." Frieza's clawed hand lashed out to grab the King's Torque ripping it from his neck. The King gave a shout of protest, but Frieza's guards quickly shut him up with well aimed kicks.

Frieza cackled with delight as the King glared up at him. "There can only be one ruler, monkey and you aren't it." Frieza dropped the necklace to the floor and ground it to dust. Prince Vegeta stared at the scene aghast. Frieza had destroyed the Saiyan symbol of strength, of their superiority, and his father let him. The young prince turned his face away from the king in shame. He could no longer look upon the man who had sired him.

"Get off my ship, you low breed." Sneered Frieza as his guards hauled the king up by his arms and dragged him out of the room. That was the last Vegeta ever saw of his father. A few days later he heard of the uprising his father led against the Emperor and of the subsequent destruction of his world.

Frieza turned his attention to the young prince. "Well aren't you a strapping lad." Frieza caressed the boy's cheek and in retaliation Vegeta spat into the Emperor's face. Frieza reared back and hissed in fury, slapping him with such force that it dislocated his jaw. He would have gone flying into the nearest wall if he wasn't being held by Frieza's men.

"Whip him until he screams." Frieza ordered while turning away in disgust. It was a very long time, but eventually the young prince screamed.

End Flashback

Vegeta dropped the box to the ground and lunged for Bulma. Before she could draw a breath he had her by the neck and was snarling in fury.

"What is this shit?" He screamed in rage. He had her by the throat so tightly that she couldn't breathe and in desperation she clawed at his hand.

_Kami, he is going to kill me!_

He saw her face go red from exertion then blue from lack of oxygen. He loosened his grip a fraction so she could breathe, but his anger would not allow him to free her. She dragged in her breath in great gulps, choking as she did so.

"Answer me." He shook her slightly for emphasis and he desperately wanted to snap her neck for her insolence.

Between great wracking coughs she tried to explain to him. "I wanted to get you something special for your birthday, so I researched everything I could about your culture." She gasped for more air before continuing. "I found out that this was given to all the kings of Vegeta-sei and I thought it would be perfect for you, so I had it recreated."

Her small hands were still tightly wrapped around his wrist, her nails digging deeply into his flesh but he did not feel it. She looked up into his cold eyes and she felt her heart clench. How could she have ever thought he was anything but a murderer? She felt betrayal run thick and hot through her veins. Sorrowful tears trickled down her pale cheeks as she looked at the ruthless man who held her life in his hands.

_You knew better and you trusted him anyways. You are a fool._

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

He dropped her like she had burned him and walked away from her. He stopped after few steps keeping his back to her. She fell to the floor in a boneless heap, her hands massaging her throat in an effort to ease the pain.

"Why did you do this Bulma?" His voice was low and controlled, but she could hear the anger behind it.

"I thought it would make you happy." Her voice was raspy from the trauma to her neck.

His shoulders seemed to hunch slightly and he was silent for a few moments. Finally he spoke in a commanding tone. "Turn the machine back on and never turn it off while I am training again." He strode away and back into the GR. After a few seconds Bulma scrambled off the floor and into the foyer. She quickly typed in the code to start the machine, eager to avoid his wrath if she did not comply.


	11. Introspection

Disclaimer: I don't own it., but just think of the things you could do with that tail of his…

Chapter Eleven:

Introspection

He stalked to the center of the room and stopped abruptly, his hands fisted at his sides. He wanted to kill. He wanted to maim, murder, annihilate. He wanted to massacre everyone on the base, to slaughter an entire world. He wanted to sink his hands into her soft flesh until her blood gushed no more.

_I thought it would make you happy._

_Why did she do this? Why did she care?_

The GR powered up and the lights on the panel flashed to life. She had moved quickly to appease him, as well she should. He saw fear in her cerulean eyes earlier, not even when she had approached him for the first time, when she had put her life on the line by uttering treasonous words to him, had she shown fear. She should fear him, everyone feared him. She had become too comfortable with him over the past few months and she needed to learn her place.

He stalked over to the panel, punching in the gravity setting that he was working at before he was interrupted. He moved back to the center of the floor and began to warm up again, losing himself to his thoughts while he moved through the steps of an all too familiar kata.

He felt a twist in his gut, something he had never felt before. He looked deep inside of himself, turning the sensation over and over in his mind, examining it, analyzing it, until finally he could identify it. It was guilt. He felt guilty for the way he treated her. He felt guilty for making her fear him.

_Why should I feel bad for that? Why should I feel?_

Before he met her he had suppressed his emotions ruthlessly, now he had to deal with a list of them. Lust for her body. Possessiveness of her affection. Interest in her mind. Remorse for causing her pain. Fear for her life.

It was too much. He had to distance himself from her. This fear of him would work to his advantage. After all, she was just a tool, something he was using to ascend to greatness. She was an extension of the Gravity Room, nothing more.

_But why did she do it?_

_I thought it would make you happy._

A vision of her tear streaked face rose up in his mind. Her nails had clawed frantically at his wrist while she fought for life giving oxygen. Her expressive eyes had reached out pleadingly to his nearly non-existent soul.

It was her eyes that had stilled his hand from brutally snapping her neck, not thoughts of the glory and revenge that would be lost by his actions. With one flick of his wrist he would have thrown it all away for a momentary release from his pain, a repreive from his scarred memories and from his betrayal. The same betrayal that he saw in her eyes.

_I'm sorry._

Her pale lips, blue from the lack of air, had said the words meant to seek forgiveness but he heard the real meaning behind them. She was sorry that she had put her trust into him. She had faith that he would achieve their goal and that he would defeat Frieza, but some where down the line she had fooled herself into believing that he wasn't a monster.

_But why?_

She of all people knew exactly who he was. She knew more about him than any of these fools on the base that feared him so desperately, but she still smiled at him. She spoke to him like he was a person. She responded to his touch like he was worthy to be her lover. She did not shudder in distaste when his blood stained hands caressed her, instead she shivered in delight. She looked at him like he was a man not a demon.

She wasn't necessarily pristine herself and while she may not make it through the pearly gates, she was definitely not going to end up in the dark dimension he was bound for, so she should feel disgust for him. He was a murderer of millions, an inhuman beast of a man who dwelled in the nightmares of even the more darker minds. And yet, she wanted to talk to him, to be near him, like he was her friend.

_Why did she do it?_

_I thought it would make you happy._

To recreate the Torque of Kingship was to court death. If Frieza found out he would punish her, but she must know that. She was already embroiled in a deadly plot so what was one more ingredient to the stew of disobedience.

She had reconstructed it perfectly, right down to the stone used. Kerithiam Quartz was exceedingly rare to come by since the destruction of his planet, the only known place of its existence. Jewelry already crafted in the stone could sell for millions of credits, but she would have had to have bought the material unworked, which would have been triple the price.

Did she even have that kind of money? Before he could even finish the thought an image of Bulma fluffing her hair appeared in his head. "Of course, I am a genius. I know how to invest my credits." The image said. Of course that would explain it. She was probably the wealthiest woman in the universe.

He began to spar with an invisible enemy, tossing ki balls viciously, wishing that he could throw away his rampant emotions in the same manner.

When he had opened the box he had been shocked. The memories had bull rushed him like an enraged opponent and he had been unprepared to handle the riot of emotions seeing the Torque had caused.

He was aware of a longing that he had not allowed himself to feel for years, surging up inside of him. The longing to take his rightful place as king, to feel the cool stone against his neck, proclaiming him as the strongest in the universe.

But he wasn't the strongest and he wasn't the best. He was the servant bitch to the tyrant that had stolen his birthright. He hadn't been strong enough to protect his race or his planet. He wasn't strong enough to claim his freedom or help his men if Frieza chose to destroy them. He wasn't even strong enough to protect the woman if Frieza found out about their plan and decided to kill her for her perfidy.

She had done something that no other being had done before. She had, with quiet deliberation, at great personal risk and at the cost of a large fortune, sought out something that would please him and gifted him with it.

_Why?_

_Because she thought it would make me happy._

He didn't deserve happiness, he didn't deserve her trust and he didn't deserve that symbol of strength.

He thought of his father kneeling before the evil Ice-jinn in subservience, the same demeaning position he had found himself in more than once through the years. He felt sick to his stomach from the memory of the disgust he had felt at his father's weakness. A weakness that had soon become his own. The nausea began to mix with burning anger that seared his throbbing heart.

He needed to train more, so he could become more powerful. Once he defeated Frieza he would be a worthy warrior. Worthy enough for the throne and to wear the Torque of Kingship. _Worthy enough for the woman?_ Until then he was nothing.

Their plan could fail and he would not, could not, risk the humiliation of having it ripped from his neck and crushed under the Ice-jinn's heel once again. No, he would wait until he was victorious and then he would take his rightful place as the Ruler of the Universe.

He paused and turned his narrowed gaze towards the door. What he felt for the woman was confusing. There were too many emotions to sort out when he thought of her. There was one thing that he knew for certain. He could trust her with his life. Their fates were intertwined, her freedom hinged on his success. She would do what she needed to do to see him win. Perhaps it would be different after they obtained their common goal and he ruled, but in this moment she was his staunchest ally. He needed her and she needed him.

He shut down the gravity before turning on his heel to leave the GR, absently glancing at the clock. He had been lost in his thoughts for many hours and it was nearing dawn. He stopped at the kitchen table to snatch up a cookie. His eyes widened as he bit into the chewy morsel. It was tasty.

He gathered up the abandoned box, gazing longingly at the shiny red and black necklace. Almost fearfully he ran his fingers across the cool stone. Some day soon he would wear it with pride and honor.

He closed the box gently, careful to flick the golden latch down. Tucking it under his arm he entered her room. She was huddled on the bed in a fetal position, as if she was trying to ward off an attacker. He could see the dark shadows of bruises on her slender neck and he wanted to frown. It shouldn't matter to him that she was hurt, but he had to shove down the urge to scoop her up and dump her in the nearest regen tank.

He reached down and grabbed her by the shoulders sitting her up on the edge of the bed before she was even fully awake.

"Woman, get up." He growled.

She blinked at him blurrily, her eyes clearing an instant before they clouded again with fear. He towered over her as he stared down at her impassively while she looked up at him with apprehension.

He held out the box to her. "You will hold this for me until I am strong enough to claim it."

Her wide eyes darted down to look at the box before returning to his hard visage. She held his gaze for a minute before nodding slowly and taking the box. He saw the question in her eyes, but he turned to leave without addressing it. He stopped in the doorway, unable to look over at her. Sometimes it was easier to say what you needed to if you didn't look at the person. He turned his head slightly so he could see her from the corner of his eye. She had the box clutched tightly to her chest and she looked slightly ill.

He opened his mouth to speak but the words stuck in his throat. Summoning his massive control he forced his limp tongue to form syllables.

"My actions earlier were uncalled for." He said hoarsely.

He saw her reach up to massage her neck, her face pale and withdrawn. Finally she nodded in acceptance of his words and he curtly dipped his head in response before striding out.

Bulma sat on the edge of the bed, frantically trying to absorb the last few moments.

_Did he just apologize to me?_

She tried to reconcile the new data with what she knew to be true of the prince. She just couldn't imagine it. Shrugging away her bewilderment she moved slowly around the foot of her bed. She pushed aside a lounge chair that sat in the corner of the room and knelt on the floor. She brushed her fingers across the ground, searching for the almost unperceivable indentations. Finding them, she pressed slightly causing a portion of the floor to slide away.

Inside, the catch contained her most precious items. A picture of her parents, an extra GR capsule and other things she wished to keep hidden from prying eyes. Carefully she nestled the polished box in with her treasures and slid the floor closed. She replaced the chair before lying back on the bed to get a few more hours sleep.

Later that morning she discovered that Vegeta and his men had left the base on a mission. He left a note by the empty plate of cookies telling her not to leave the lab unless absolutely necessary, since no one was there to protect her. She crumpled the sheet while an angry look gleamed in her eye.

No man tells Bulma Briefs what to do.


	12. Purge

Disclaimer: Don't own it

Author's Note: Some of the actions of our favorite Saiyan men in the next couple of chapters may be uncomfortable for some readers. As much as it pains me to write it, the fact of the matter is, they are bad men. Not that we don't love them any less, but we can only hope that through time and understanding that they will learn the folly of their wicked ways.

Also in this chapter as well as the next couple of chapters Vegeta will refer back to a memory of Bulma and an argument that they had. For all of you that have a short memory, like me, this occurred in chapter six when Vegeta got all pissy about staging their sex scene in his room.

Chapter Twelve

Purge

Vegeta awoke to the acidic aftertaste of the antiseptic that was used to put him to sleep during his long voyages, burning the back of his throat. He rolled his tongue around in his mouth trying to drum up enough spit to swallow and relieve the scathing pain. He cracked his sleep-encrusted eyes and was met with the vastness of space.

To his right he could see the heavenly body of the planet he was sent to purge drifting into view. It was a deep blue, with emerald green continents shrouded in a white swirl of clouds. It hung there like a shimmering jewel cushioned in diamond studded velvet. He felt the prodding finger of memory, but he pushed it away.

He called up the details of the planet's statistics on his ships computer, scanning rapidly through the data.

Breathable Atmosphere - _I hate that helmet_

Industrial - _Better try to leave the factories intact_

Over populated - _Great what a pain in the ass_

Pre space travel - _Good they can't run away_

Mobilized military with low ki - _Weaklings_

Nuclear weapons.

Vegeta raised an eyebrow at the last one. He hated dealing with weapons of mass destruction and it seemed every primitive world they went to insisted on using them. The hardy Saiyans could withstand the devastating power of the bombs although their injuries would be severe, but that wasn't what he was worried about.

The nasty weapons did nearly irreversible damage to the environment causing the value of the planet to drop drastically. This reversal of fortune would be sure to upset the money hungry Ice-jinn. The last thing Vegeta needed right now was to draw Frieza's unwanted attention because he had fucked up a mission. Besides, previous experience had taught the Saiyan prince to avoid angering his "master" at all costs, especially when it came to his finances. The skin on his back itched at the thought of the beatings he had received in the past.

"Computer display all sites containing nuclear weaponry."

His monitor blinked for a few moments before bringing up a topographical map coated with red dots indicating nuclear weapons. Vegeta sighed deeply. _Animals._

He downloaded the tactical data to Nappa and Raditz's computers and the three pods broke their formation, each drifting towards the most heavily populated areas on differing continents.

Genocide was never easy and it was time consuming. It would take months to hunt down every single soul on a planet especially when the population was in the billions. Instead they struck in dense metropolitan areas, reducing their victim's numbers to mere thousands through precise surgical strikes designed to cause the most damage.

Vegeta's 'job' would require a mere twenty-four hours of what he did best -- torture, rape, murder... annihilation of an entire species along with another precious piece of his ever vanishing soul Then the new inhabitants would take charge of cleaning up the remaining refuse or hire out to specialized extermination teams that came in to overpower any resistance.

He impacted heavily in the center of a large city. When the dust cleared he could see a crowd of pale faces in a distance trying to peer though the glass of his pod. He bitterly grit his teeth, steeling his iron-clad resolve.

_Shit. They are humanoid. I hate purging them._

He found it distasteful to slaughter a race similar in appearance as himself and it bothered him more than it should. He would rather deal with an insectoid race or better yet, reptiles, so he could imagine that it was Frieza's blood that stained his hands. Absently he wondered how the Onna's people had reacted in the first moments, when the purge team had landed in their mists. He pushed the wayward thoughts away as the door opened with a soft hiss. He uncurled his compact body from his seat resisting the urge to stretch out his stiff muscles. Seeing an invader crack a huge yawn wasn't very threatening plus it was disrespectful to the species that you were about to wipe out from existence.

The crowd pulsed with excitement and moved a step closer, their curiosity overriding their fear. Their wide eyes shimmered with awe and Vegeta had to brush away the faint tingle of loathing he felt stabbing at him whenever his victims looked at him. It was always their eyes that he saw in the darkest moments of his dreams, before he awoke drenched in sweat, before he could regain control of his errant unconscious mind that plagued him.

For Vegeta this was always the most difficult part. In earlier years he had taken an almost maniacal pleasure in reeking havoc among the populace, committing unthinkable atrocities that he dared not remember for fear that his own sanity would vanish along with the forsaken race he destroyed. He laughed at their suffering with a gaiety that he had forced himself to feel. The destruction he wrought was the only outlet he had for his tortured psyche, but after a while the pain he inflicted ceased to be a balm on his soul and the ruthless strangle hold he had on his emotions tightened until all he felt was a numbing emptiness.

Soon he had stopped seeing the faces of the people he killed. Instead he viewed them as trash that needed to be swept away to make room for their superiors. Unable to protect themselves from the deadly onslaught, they lowered their value to beneath the Prince's notice.

This moment, however, was always the hardest. Right before the shouting began, when they were all still innocent.

Vegeta deliberately raised his hand sending a ki blast through the heart of the throng and closed his ears to their screams.

Vegeta moved from city to city unphased by the blood bath he left behind. Predictably the world leaders sent the military to combat the threat. He swept their toys away with ease, not even feeling the burning kiss of their bullets. Eventually they brought their prized nukes to bear and Vegeta had to move quickly to intercept them, either destroying them or send them spiraling into outer space before they could detonate.

By the twelfth hour Nappa, Raditz and Vegeta crossed paths and paused to rest before splitting up again. More than half of the planets population had been decimated and the other half crouched in defeat as they realized that there was no sanctuary from the demons that had invaded them.

Raditz touched down next to Nappa, holding a squirming mass of pink and white. He dropped the bundle on the ground to reveal a girl no older than fourteen, terror wafting off her like a bewitching fragrance.

"Look what I found." Raditz grin was cocky while Nappa lustfully rubbed his crotch. The girl tried unsuccessfully to make herself smaller and unnoticeable. Vegeta watched the scene impassively, briefly wondering what the Onna would think if she could see his men now. Raditz reached down to grab the girl by her hair, hauling her up against him while smiling down at her tear streaked face. She struggled valiantly until she realized escape was impossible, so instead she settled for spitting in Raditz's face.

Vegeta felt a ghost of a smirk on his lips, but it quickly disappeared when Raditz struck the girl forcefully across the face causing her lip to bleed. Vegeta had seen this exact scene many times over the years and it always ended the same. No matter how defiant they started out they always begged in the end.

_It will never be enough until he is bleeding at my feet, begging for me to stop, like I begged him too. _

The memory of Bulma's tear streaked face as they had argued about consummating their relationship in front of the cameras rose up in his mind. She had been talking about rape; he saw it in her eyes as her despair threatened to swallow her alive

Raditz threw the girl on the ground and pinned her there with one large booted foot on her stomach, while he looked over at Vegeta.

"What do you think My Prince? Do you want the first crack at her?" His cocky grin was back on his face.

"I think that golden skinned whore of yours is going to dislike the scent of another female on you." Vegeta said without inflection.

Raditz frowned down at the young girl, probably picturing how he would respond to any accusations from his love interest.

"I don't think her sense of smell is developed enough. Besides it's not like we are doing anything, she's still a bit standoffish. Raditz reasoned out, but he still made no move towards the girl. In fact his frown became even more pronounced as he shifted his gaze away from her.

"She doesn't like men very much." Raditz glared at the offending horizon.

He appeared to be struggling with some sort of moral dilemma and Vegeta took a marked interest in this. Perhaps if he watched someone else attempting to deal with a newly developed conscience that ironically enough had a female voice he would learn how to overcome his own new inner turmoil.

"Do you suppose she has been," Raditz prodded the girl with his foot, "you know."

"Raped?" Vegeta growled at the man harshly.

Raditz swallowed hard and nodded.

Visions of Bulma clawing at her arms while tears streamed down her face, trapped in some vicious memory of the past, floated in Vegeta's mind. "She is a beautiful woman with no ki to speak of, who lived in Frieza's court, what do you think?" Vegeta spat.

At his words Raditz visibly recoiled. He stared down at the girl he had pinned and almost gently removed his foot from her while taking a small step away. The girl eyed him, but made no move to run.

"Do you suppose that's why she is so skittish?" Raditz asked, still glaring at the girl, like it was her fault that he was suddenly questioning the morality of his behavior.

Vegeta rolled his eyes in annoyance. "I don't have time for your stupid questions, dumbass. Use your own brain for once." A visible shift took place inside of Raditz, one minute he was self assured and the next he was snarling in righteous indignation.

"Well it's not like I'm doing anything wrong! She's going to fucking die anyways." Raditz spat at the girl who curled up on the ground, her terror stricken features paling even more than before. Vegeta quirked a brow at the agitated man, Raditz hardly ever yelled and he certainly never did so at his Prince. Vegeta's growl warned the man that his behavior was unacceptable and Raditz calmed slightly, but he still glared down at the girl.

Raditz looked up at Vegeta with a glint in his eyes the prince had never seen before. The closest that Vegeta could decipher was that it looked like self-loathing.

"She would hate me." Raditz words were barely audible. "She should hate me."

Vegeta's eyes narrowed as he studied the handsome man. "Why do you care?" His words were scathing, but they held a hint of curiosity. _Do I care?_ He asked the vision that hung in his mind of the onna.

Raditz squirmed, but could not answer his prince. His thoughts and feeling were so tangled that he could not form an acceptable reply.

Nappa let out a great bark of laughter. "Women, they make you weak. That's why I never took a mate. Give her to me if you don't want to soil yourself."

At his mocking words Raditz cheeks grew warm and he refused to meet the other male's eyes. He moved away from the girl who quickly tried to run, only to be snatched up into Nappa's bear like arms. She tried to struggle again but it only made Nappa snicker with pleasure.

"Come on Pretty, it will be fun."

He started to shred her clothes from her body taking pleasure from her struggles. Vegeta turned away, he did not want to hear or see what would happen next so he ascended into the air to fly off to the nearest town, noting that Raditz did the same. Not that it absolved him, thought Vegeta uncharitably he was the one who brought the girl in the first place. Vegeta swept his uncharacteristic thoughts away with a disgusted growl.

Vegeta stalked through the next metropolis, toppling skyscrapers in his fiery wake. People darted across his path like frenzied prey, allowing him to cut them down with ease. A flash of yellow disappeared into an alley and he changed his course to follow.

He rounded the corner to find a woman huddled against the dead end wall, wrapped protectively in her arms was a lavender haired girl, no older than six or so.

_Purple hair, how absurd, almost as ridicules as teal hair._

He raised his hand to blast them but suddenly they both looked up at him at that moment and he was captivated by their gaze. Their matching blue eyes were the same deep cerulean as the Onna's. He tried to wrench his eyes away, to force his body into motion, but he could not look away from their riveting stare that kept him immobilized. Their pleading looks and terrified whimpers pierced his deafened mind, invading the comfortable void that he retreated to during his missions. Unaccountably his throat tightened and his stomach clenched as a near unperceivable tremor ran down his extended arm. An image of the Onna superimposed itself over the older frightened female and for a moment Vegeta was staring at the visage of Bulma.

_Could I kill her if I had too?_

His face hardened to an impenetrable mask as he began to gather his ki in the palm of his hand. His victim's whimpers grew louder and more pitiful as they tried to press themselves further into the unyielding bricks, pathetically trying to escape their impending deaths. Waves of heat began to roll off of him, causing the females to sweat with more than just fear. Still they stared at him, their wide eyes conveying their panic and despair. His ki increased and he shook with the effort to hold it, but he could not unleash his power on them.

_Could I kill her?_

Visions of Bulma laughing, her eyes sparkling while relating her day to him or her flushed face as she hurled insults, haunted his mind. His jaw ached with the intensity of his indecision and waves of power rippled out from him. Street garbage and boxes blew up against the walls with the force of his energy, while discarded papers swirled around him.

The blue ball in his hand grew blindingly bright and finally the mother pressed the child's face into her breast, shielding the girls eyes, while clenching her own haunted eyes shut and turning her pale face away from his. The paralysis that held him shattered and the ball flew from his hand with startling velocity.

One moment they were curled around each other in a protective huddle and the next they were no more, along with the smut covered wall and everything behind it. A scorched path of destruction swathed its way through the city and went on for miles until eventually sliding off the planet and into space.

He stood there, his body shaking with exertion while he stared out across the burned landscape.

_You hesitated._

His breath came in pants and he felt a trickle of sweat slide down the back of his neck. His gloved hands fisted at his sides as he gritted his teeth in frustration.

_You've allowed her to reduce you to nothing more than a pathetic, sniveling weakling._

His anger ignited a latent fire that had been dormant inside of him. It flared to life and clamored for release. Vegeta's head fell back on his shoulders as he glared at the baby blue sky that was nearly obscured by the nearby buildings. His arms extended out from his sides on their own accord as his muscles bunched with anticipation.

"I am not weak!" He screamed in fury at the universe while the fire inside of him exploded from his body and rippled out in an ever expanding ring of destruction. He roared his rage until his throat was raw and all of his immense energy poured out of him until it slowed to a mere trickle leaving him drained. But still, even further down inside of him, something flickered.

A power yet untapped. Dwelling deep inside of him, waiting to be born.

He fell to his knees as his vision began to fade to black. He braced his weight on his hands as he leaned forward to fight the nausea that threatened to spew forth.

_Vegeta!_

Nappa and Raditz sounded in his head simultaneously.

_Are you okay My Prince?_

Both men's concern was apparent as they felt the phenomenal surge of power that had emanated from their leader.

He assured them that he was fine before ordering them back to work. He raised his weary head and his eyes widened at the sight that greeted him. The entire city was gone. He sat amid the broken rubble, the destruction stretching out for miles in a radius around him. It was similar to the blast pattern of a nuclear warhead without the radiation damage.

He glanced around searching for any sign of life, but there was nothing. No barking dogs, no screeching birds and no panicked screams, just blissful silence. Vegeta dropped his head, awed with the physical proof of his growing strength. He could not stop the rumble of laughter that bubbled up from inside of him and poured from his lips, the sound foreign to his own ears.

He flipped over to lay on his back, looking up into the clear sky, the laughter echoing around him. He failed to hear the soft footfalls of someone landing behind him, but he did hear the mocking claps. He sprung to his feet, spinning to face his opponent while desperately fighting the wave of dizziness.

Behind him he saw a single man, holding a strange gun like devise in one hand while awkwardly smacking his hands together. He was dressed in a dark ankle length jacket and long blonde hair hung to his shoulders. He would have been handsome if his nose hadn't been broken is some long forgotten battle and he didn't have a pink scar that ran down his left cheek. His green eyes glittered with malice while he smirked at Vegeta, as though he knew a secret that the Prince was not privy too. A guttural growl rose in Vegeta's throat in response.

"Well done, Prince Vegeta." He spoke with admiration, but his eyes glared daggers of disgust. The man's lips twisted into a snarl and hate laced his next words. "Too bad your power can't save you."

Vegeta saw the man raise the weapon and he willed himself to materialize in front of the man to wrench the gun away, but his exhausted body would not respond fast enough. Before he covered half the distance the man squeezed the trigger, hitting Vegeta square in the chest.

Vegeta expected to feel nothing but an annoying sting of a bullet, but instead he dropped to his knees on impact, shuddering violently. It felt like bands of unbreakable steel were lacing around his limbs and stealing his already depleted strength from his very body. In desperation he tried to call out to his men, but with a sinking despair he realized that he could not summon enough energy to send a mental shout. With a mocking laugh, the man strode over and with one swift blow that should have left the prince unhurt, he knocked Vegeta unconscious.


	13. Retribution

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or Vegeta, but if I did he would stay chained to my bed so he couldn't run around terrorizing people.

Chapter Thirteen:

Retribution

A sharp crack rang through the hollow halls, followed by pain laced screams of anguish. Again and again they sounded until the screams became raspy before eventually dying away, but the cracking still remained.

Vegeta watched as his men were whipped until their skin fell in shreds from their backs. Raditz had mercifully passed out from the pain, but a man was fetching a pail of water to revive him, so they might begin again. Nappa hung limply between the posts that held him, his voice had given out long ago.

Again the leather tongue lashed out to kiss Vegeta's ragged back. He did not cry out and his stoic expression did not alter. The only clue that he felt the lash was a slight graying of his already ashen features. White brackets of pain deepened around his mouth and blood dribbled down his chin from where he bit his tongue to stifle any wayward moans.

He could feel the hot path of his blood as it flowed down his legs where he stood in an ever growing pool of crimson. It took all of his will to remain standing straight and tall beneath the raining blows. He refused to show weakness to his captors, instead he stared straight ahead with unseeing, soulless eyes.

He stood in a large room, filled to the brim with people, who coiled around the perimeter in one long and seemingly endless line. Each person waited impatiently for their turn to lash the Saiyans. Some would introduce themselves, subjecting the prince to a miniature monolog of their lives, while others just applied themselves vigorously to the task at hand until their arm gave out. They would then pass the whip to the next person in line.

There were less people today than there were three days ago and there would be less people tomorrow. Every day at dawn they were brought to this room and at dusk they were cut down and thrown into a regeneration tank to heal. Normal men would have died the first day, but they were Saiyans. Ki-less Saiyans, but strong just the same.

There had been some sort of serum in the dart the man had shot him with. The injection repressed their ki, leaving them as defenseless as new born cubs. They were then shackled with ki resistant chains that bound them tightly, not that it mattered, because the cowards dosed them every twelve hours with the serum. The only comfort that Vegeta could derive from his situation was that the serum was not permanent, but he worried about the long term effects.

He had learned that the man who shot him was named Rio'Kan. He was the leader of this misfit band of refugees who fooled themselves into believing that they had a ghost of a chance of rising against Frieza. Their first act of defiance was to capture the Emperor's elite squad of purgers, but their actions were not totally dedicated to their cause and was more selfish in nature. Every single person here was a survivor of a purge.

There were not more than three or four people of the same race in the room. Instead it was a hodgepodge of species that had come together with a common goal. To kill Frieza.

If Vegeta was capable he might have felt sympathy for their plight or at the very least he could extend them empathy. He as well had suffered under Frieza's rule. His entire planet was destroyed and his race annihilated. The cruel irony was that he was forced to repeat the very thing that had happened to him a hundred times over, unable to escape his enslavement.

The repeated strikes paused and he brutally suppressed the glimmer of hope that it was over. Logic told him that it wasn't, it was only midday and people still silently waited.

A woman appeared before him. She wasn't old, but sorrow had aged her. Her mouse brown hair hung limply down her back and brushed against the yellowish skin of her cheeks. Her lips were chapped and he could see the indents of her teeth where she bit the lower one repeatedly. She looked like the walking dead and the only real sign that she was alive were her eyes. Their muddy depths burned with the psychotic flame that Vegeta had seen before in soldiers who had endured too much. Their dementia pushed them to the edge of reason and more often than not they had to be put down like rabid animals. She opened her mouth and Vegeta braced himself for the flood of damnation that he was sure was going to flow from her lips. Instead she addressed him in a quiet tone that warred with the hellfire raging in her eyes.

"I am from Silac." The name meant nothing to Vegeta. He had purged hundreds of planets.

"I was off world when you came, but my husband, my five month old son and eight year old daughter stayed behind." Her voice was lifeless, as though the memory of her family had no real meaning to her anymore. Vegeta wondered how many times he would have to hear the same thing over and over again.

"When I arrived home, my world was a smoking ruin. The others turned tail and ran, but I took an escape pod to the surface. I had to save my family." She choked on the last sentence and he expected her to break down into tears, but she composed herself and continued.

"Everything was destroyed, bodies lay in the streets and even the pets were slaughtered." She hissed with disgust, but he was unmoved, he had long ago stopped being affected by the carnage he and his men wrought.

"My house was still standing and inside I found my husband with a hole in his chest. His death was quick and I often feel jealous of that." He could see her battle the conflicting emotions of anger at the dead and the agony of their loss. "My baby's head had been bashed against a wall." The expected tears began to stream down her face and Vegeta resisted the urge to roll his eyes. It was common practice to do such things in order to save energy. There was no reason to deplete yourself when a kick to the head would do the job. "And my little girl." Her shaking hand clasped her throat as if she could physically dislodge the words from her larynx. "She was raped to death." Fire exploded in her tear drenched eyes and the expected damnation began to flow.

"What kind of monster takes time out from his blood bath to rape an eight year old girl?" She spat her rhetorical question into Vegeta's impassive face.

"You will burn! You will be hauled down to the darkest pit in the very center of the seven hells and you will scream and scream, like my little girl must have screamed!" She was frothing at the mouth and flecks of spittle landed in his face, but he did not flinch and his expression did not alter, after all he silently agreed with her. He would go to hell. It was an accepted fact in his mind, so why should he worry about it?

She placed her hands on the sides of her head, pressing them together as if she was trying to stop her head from exploding from all of her rampaging thoughts and memories. She glared at him, her hate spilling out of her and intermingling with everyone else's in the room.

"Tell me that you are sorry! Tell me that you feel some shred of regret you heartless murderer!" She moaned, trying to understand the monster in front of her. She ceased her tantrum and held his eyes with an unwavering intensity. She looked deeply into the dark void and did not even see a flicker.

"Are you sorry?" She whispered.

Her fit had brought Bulma to mind and their argument so many months ago. For just a moment she too had teetered on the lip of the abyss, but she had quickly pulled herself back. This woman was drowning in it and only surfaced for a few moments to drag in an iota of reason before being sucked under the sea of insanity again.

_Do I feel sorry?_

_I can never show remorse for my actions or the actions of my men._

_Yes, but do I feel sorry?_

_It does not matter. I do not feel._

An image of Bulma rose in his mind, mocking his last thought. He sighed inwardly before speaking for the first time in three days.

"No."

Vegeta's tone showed no hint of his inner turmoil and the woman shrieked in rage as she descended into the depths of madness once again. She disappeared from sight and the cracks of the whip resumed, accompanied by the woman's shrill screams.

"He is a week overdue." Jace paced in front of Bulma who was sitting calmly at her private workstation.

"If he is dead, we will have lost months of work. Not to mention he was the best candidate." Jace ran his hand through his unruly chocolate curls.

Bulma grimaced and absently stroked her neck. The bruises had long since faded, but the memory was still fresh.

_What if he is dead?_

_Do I care?_

_He's a monster._

_But you already knew that when you started._

_What if he is dead?_

"Are you listening to me Bulma?" Jace snapped his fingers in front of her face and Bulma frowned at his rudeness.

"What?" She snapped in annoyance.

"I said, we have to find him." Jace huffed right back at her.

Bulma sighed deeply. "Yes, we have to find him."

She stood up and strode out of her rooms, Jace on her heels. She walked to the center of the lab, clapping her hands together to get everyone's attention. Her employees gathered around, knowing that whatever it was she wanted was important.

"As I am sure you have all heard, my Mate is missing." She started in a solemn voice. Her people nodded and there was a mutter of condolence here and there.

"I am certain that he is still alive, and I want to know exactly where he is. Each of you has four hours to speak with your contacts and to report back to me." Her eyebrows met as she glowered at her people. "I want him found. I want him back." Her people nodded and scurried off to their stations, typing frantically on their computers, reaching out on the sub space net, connecting with their independent sources of information.

One of the requirements of being apart of Bulma's inner circle was merging your own spy network with hers. Every single person, with the exception of Delia was the head of their own information ring. Together they blanketed the universe in a constant ebb and flow of shared galactic secrets. It was true what they said, if two people had a secret, than it wasn't a secret anymore.

Bulma retreated to her quarters to do her own research and by the time the others had prepared their reports she had a fair estimation of what had happened. She exited the lab and as expected her people were waiting for her. They were efficient, intelligent and completely loyal to her. They had never let her down, and she would see that they would have their freedom someday as a reward.

"What did you find out?" She sat back and waited for them to reply, ready to compare it with the information she had gathered.

Frokadile, a frog like creature and her head engineer, stepped forward. "Vegeta and his men were captured on the planet they were sent to purge. Near the completion of their mission, emissaries of the Freine Resistance Core managed to incapacitate them and transport them back to their base of operations set up on a large space station in the Velda sector. I have managed to procure the exact coordinates along with a partial layout of the station." Bulma nodded and Frokadile stepped back in line.

Derrik, her head biologist, stepped up. "The Freine Resistance Core is a group of refugee's brought together by their leader, Rio'Kan. He is the sole survivor of a planet purged by Vegeta about five years ago. He has since gathered up as many stragglers as he could find and formed them into a militia. Most of the members have no fighting power to speak of, but they are technologically advanced. Most of the information on their inventions is top secret but it has been ascertained that they have developed ki resistant technology in order to combat Frieza's warriors. Their main goal is to revolt against the Emperor and overthrow him. My sources say that at this time they are primed to be the most successful in such an endeavor." He handed Bulma his written report and stepped back.

Facie, her top chemist stepped forward. "In order to incapacitate Vegeta and his men, they used a serum that seems capable of repressing their ki. This was their first test in the field and was met with overwhelming success. I was able to locate the formula and I think I may be able to reproduce it as well as create an antidote."

"Do so." Bulma nodded to the woman. She was pleased with the results of their findings and thanked them for their hard work. She motioned for Jace to follow her and walked into her rooms to sit heavily on her couch, rubbing her temples at the same time. Jace took a seat on the chair that Vegeta favored, while eyeing his boss.

"Now what?" He questioned.

Indeed, now what? The Resistance was working for the same goal that she was, just by a different means. They could very well be successful if given enough time to grow and if their technology was advanced as the reports said. She was interested in their methods and wouldn't be opposed to lending them a hand, behind the scenes of course. Repressing the ki of the warriors that worked under Frieza was not something that she had considered before, but now it was something to definitely look into.

"Bulma?" Jace prodded her out of her thoughts. She shifted her gaze to him.

"Set up a third party negotiation. Advise them that we would be interested in assisting their cause contingent on them freeing Vegeta and his men. If that is not acceptable tell them that we will pay a ransom, no matter the amount." Jace nodded and quickly exited her quarters. Bulma leaned her head back against the couch, trying to order her thoughts, but her head was pounding from lack of sleep and worry. She was upset with Vegeta because of his behavior before leaving, but at the same time she found that she missed his presence. Absurd as it was, she felt safe when he was around and without him she felt vulnerable.

There was a ding at the door and Bulma levered herself off the couch to go answer it. It slid open to reveal Delia who was biting her lip in agitation and while rubbing her hands together. Bulma eyed her for a second before standing aside to let the young woman in.

"Would you like something to drink?" She asked, while motioning to the living room for them to sit down.

Delia shook her head no and did not move. Bulma waited patiently for the girl to speak. After a few moments of internal struggle she gave voice to her worries.

"Do you think they are okay?" She whispered and Bulma frowned at her. She hadn't really considered that they wouldn't be. After all Vegeta was the strongest man she knew, next to Frieza, but he didn't really count. He wasn't a man, he was a monster.

"Of course they are." She replied confidently, but Delia only wrung her hands more.

"But they said that the members of the Resistance were survivors of purged planets." Delia's words were laced with sadness and Bulma's frown deepened.

"So?"

Delia bit her lip so hard, Bulma was sure that it would start to bleed. "Don't you think they would be mad at them?"

Bulma inhaled sharply. She hadn't thought about that. She had merely thought that Vegeta's capture was to test their new serum. She hadn't considered that they had a personal vendetta against the Saiyans. In her minds eye she pictured the torture that Vegeta might be going through at this very moment, in doing so she opened herself up to a wave of pain that washed over her. She wavered on her feet, closing her eyes, but behind her lids all she saw were rivers of blood and an incessant cracking sounded in her ears.

Bulma felt nausea start to rise in her throat and she quickly excused herself. She rushed into the bathroom and vomited up what little nourishment she had in her stomach. She distantly heard the soft hiss of the front door as Delia let herself out. She huddled over the bowl for a few minutes afraid to move and cause another bought of sickness.

As she sat there she prayed to Kami and all the other gods she had come across in her lifetime, that Vegeta would be alright and that he would be strong enough to endure.


	14. Treachery From Within

Disclaimer: I don't own it, but in my world Vegeta rules the universe and I am his bed kitten.

Chapter Fourteen

Treachery From Within

Bulma bent over to pluck a chilled ale from her fridge, ignoring the voice that told her it was unwise to drink on an empty stomach. As she straightened up, her front door chimed sending a wave of anticipation through her. She hurried over to the door and slapped the button, opening it up to reveal Jace standing outside. His chocolate hair was in disarray from where he had shoved his fingers numerous times through the curls and his mouth was compressed into a hard line, his heavy lidded eyes reflecting shadows of doubt.

Bulma felt her anticipation shrivel and die as her mouth drew down into a replica of his. She waved him inside while trying to squelch the sly tongued monster named panic that was whispering words of foreboding in the back of her mind. Her fingers tightened around the cold can in her hand while she fought for impassivity that would have made Vegeta proud.

"Do you want something to drink?" She asked her first-in-command politely.

He shook his head as his fingers dove through his curls in agitation once again. He stalked over to the living room, plopping himself down on the chair with a tired sigh. She followed in a more sedate manner and seated herself on the couch while placing her unopened ale on the table in front of her. Once she had settled into her seat Jace launched into an explanation without forethought.

"They said no." He hissed with frustration.

Bulma didn't need an explanation on who 'They' were. The Resistance had refused to set Vegeta free.

"What do you mean they said no?" Bulma shot up from her seated position to pace in front of the equally distraught man. "No one says no to me! I am Bulma Briefs!" She held her arms wide as if she was addressing a stadium of people. Jace just sighed at her outburst and continued.

"One, they don't know it's you who is trying to buy his freedom and two, they wouldn't care anyways." He slumped back in the chair his position defeated. She pinned him there with her ice blue eyes, her anger raging in their cool depths.

"What do you mean they wouldn't care?" She snarled. "They have to release him." Visions of blood rose up in her mind again and she ruthlessly shoved down her nausea.

"No they don't and they don't intend to. To quote them exactly, 'We will not set free that vicious murderer of millions, slayer of worlds, killer of innocent women and children…' Bulma cut him off with an upraised hand, no longer needing to hear more, she got the gist of what they were saying. Vegeta was a monster and they were going to make them pay for his crimes, but how was the question.

"If they will not ransom him and they will not accept our support in exchange for his freedom, what do they intend to do?" She questioned, partially unwilling to hear the answer.

"Well, they were very appreciative of any overtures of support, although offering them that without telling them who it was coming from was difficult. In fact, they said that they hoped we could do business in the future after this unfortunate nastiness was over." Jace nearly cringed at the sneer that curled on Bulma's lips. She didn't need to tell him what she thought about that. If they weren't going to give her what she wanted then she was sure as hell not going to help them.

"You didn't answer me, Jace." He did cringe then. She rarely used that tone of voice on him, but he had seen her reduce people to a quivering mass while delivering stinging insults in that snide clip.

"He is scheduled for execution at the end of the week, on Ascension Day." Jace refused to meet her eyes, suddenly finding the hem of his shirt to be fascinating. Bulma rocked back on her feet, her hand clawing at her throat. With a hiss, she gracelessly fell back onto the couch while she stared sightlessly at the wall.

Ascension Day was the only holiday that everyone stopped what they were doing and celebrated as it was decreed by the Emperor himself. That was the day that Frieza, the Ruler of Universe ascended to the throne, two hundred and thirty years ago and everyone raised their glass to toast their mighty lord. They drank to his long life and good health, and as a show of disrespect the Resistance was going to kill one of the Emperor's strongest warriors on that day.

"You know what you have to do." Jace's voice was gentle as he looked at his boss pale features. She jerked when she heard him speak and her blue eyes locked with his. He could see the battle that was being fought in shadows of her mind, just before she shut him out. She nodded curtly to him and he felt his dismissal like a cold wind blowing over a frozen plain, he heaved himself tiredly out of the chair and disappeared out the door.

Bulma turned her attention back to the wall, studying it as intently as she would a fine painting, lost in her thoughts.

Vegeta had committed more atrocities in his life time than she could list out. The blood that he spilt could fill oceans twenty times over, and it would still overflow. His ability to be unfeeling and cold hearted while choking the life from an innocent babe was something that Bulma would never understand, but she did know something for certain. He didn't do it because he wanted to. Like her, he was trapped under the heavy hand of Frieza and like her he would do what he had to in order to survive.

She wondered what kind of man he would have grown into if Frieza hadn't torn his world apart. The Saiyans were a warrior race, they lived to conquer and to fight, but they were honorable as well. They did not believe in destroying someone who was weaker than them, for the simple reason that it was beneath them to do so. They only exerted their energy on a worthy foe.

He would have been strong and proud like he is today, but the pride would have been derived from his people and his place in his world, not created as a lifeboat of sanity to keep himself from buckling under the Ice-jinn's rule. She imagined that he would have been kind, or at least full of laughter. He would not have had to cut away the part of him that felt, if he had grown up happy and secure. He would have had the ability to love.

With a sigh she cracked open her nearly forgotten ale and took a long deep pull from the can. She leaned back against the coach laying her head on the back rest and stared up at the ceiling, her drink sitting on her thigh. The Freine Resistance Core had amiable goals in her mind. They wanted to kill Frieza, which is something she could definitely support. From the reports it was clear that they had the technology to overthrow Frieza. That was if they had her support. She was after all a genius. With enough time she could invent counterattacks to their devices, in fact she already had an antidote to their ki repressing serum. But the sad fact was that until Frieza was no more, she worked for him. He said jump and she said how high while barking like a bitch in heat.

She understood the Freine's all consuming hatred of Vegeta. She knew that they were all survivors of purged planets. Planets that he had personally destroyed and in their position she would loathe him too. They were new to the game of intrigue though, because they hadn't figured out yet that sometimes you had to sacrifice some of the things you wanted in order to achieve your ultimate goal. If they had just accepted her offer, together they could have seen that monster beg for mercy before stripping him of everything, including his life, but they could not see past satisfying their desire for Vegeta's blood. Unfortunately for them, she was not willing to break her first compact with the Saiyan in order to enter into another one with them.

She stood up from the couch and moved silently into the foyer, seating herself in front of her monitor. She booted her system, staring at the black screen while patiently waiting for it to flicker to life. When her planet had been purged, the strongest and the smartest had been cut away from the herd and sent to Frieza. Over the years she had not seen another human, but she had heard stories. One of those rumors was of a human man who defied Frieza and escaped, lost in the echoes of space. He had formed a band of mercenaries and for the right price they were willing to do anything, no matter the cause, right or wrong were not moral dilemmas for them. Only credits mattered. They eluded capture at every turn and eventually even Frieza used their ingenious skills from time to time.

She cracked her knuckles as she reached out through her vast network to make contact with the one group that could help her. She had long ago come to terms with the knowledge that she wasn't a good woman. She too had committed sins that she could bear to think of. She would free Vegeta, and in doing so she would sacrifice the lives of everyone on that space station. Like she said in the past, she was no martyr.

Vegeta knelt in the center of the small cell. His arms were stretched out from his sides, levered slightly higher than his shoulders, ki resistant manacles attached to chains that were bolted into the walls on either side of him cut unmercifully into his wrists. He shifted to try to relieve the searing burn in his shoulder blades but there wasn't enough leeway to move more than a quarter of an inch to either side. He couldn't stand to relieve the pain either since more bands encircled his ankles, nailing him to the ground in a kneeling position. All he could do was hang there, his chin nearly touching his naked chest.

He heard footsteps outside the door and summoning forth his massive pride Vegeta lifted his head to stare straight ahead while trying to square his aching shoulders the best he could. Rio'Kan's scent filled the air, but Vegeta's expression did not flicker, nor did he turn his head to face the man. There was a loud scraping sound as Rio'Kan dragged a chair over to sit directly in front of Vegeta, ki resistant bars between them. Vegeta would have snickered wickedly if he had the strength, the fools were so afraid of him that even with all their chains and bars they still dosed him with the serum to be sure that he couldn't escape. Woe was them if he did.

Vegeta glared at the semi handsome man in front of him. He was wearing dark green slacks with a matching green tee. His shiny blond hair fell loose over his shoulders and Vegeta could see scars from battles on the man's bare arms. Vegeta wished he had the strength to pry into the man's mind, to see if he had any fighting power, or to see if he really was a weakling that needed to hide behind his fancy technology. Rio'Kan had brought a yellow file with him and he now appeared to be leafing through it with apparent interest. He picked up a picture flipping it around so Vegeta could see it, a lewd smirk on his lips.

"She is quite beautiful, wouldn't you agree?" Rio'Kan's admiring tone set Vegeta's teeth on edge and he barely resisted the urge to growl at the man. He looked down at the picture and he felt the floor drop out from under him.

_Bulma_

Since he had been captured, Vegeta had not spoken. He bided his time and eventually they told him everything that he wanted to know. Who they are, what they were planning and what they were going to do to him on Ascension Day. Vegeta now had to bite his tongue to keep himself from spewing obscenities at the man in front of him, a man daring to think lustful thoughts about his woman.

_Since when is she your woman?_

"All that creamy skin, waves of blue hair and that spark in her eye. I bet she's a screamer." He chuckled, his thumb smoothing over the glossy photo. Rio'Kan's words unwilling brought to mind the night in Vegeta's room when she faked her orgasm and he couldn't suppress the animalistic growl the reverberated from his throat this time, causing the man to snicker even louder.

"Like her do you?" Vegeta refused to answer to the man's taunting, though his self control was straining especially with so many days of fatigue and hunger weighing him down. Not to mention the beatings.

"She's smart too. A regular innovator. That capsulation process is just pure genius. Imagine taking a ship and shrinking it to fit in the palm of your hand, or even this entire space station. Amazing stuff really." Rio'Kan didn't bother to hide his growing veneration for the woman. Vegeta eyed the man, his mind desperately trying to understand what he was doing with a file on Bulma.

"Can't figure out why she hooked up with you though." He shook his head while clicking is tongue in a chiding manner. "She seems way to smart for that, but some women like those dark types, ya know?" Vegeta did know, he had plenty of woman chase around after him in the past, but they were never women like Bulma. They were usually sly morbid creatures that got a rush from being touched by a killer.

"She really has a finger on the pulse of the underworld too. It only took her four hours to figure out where you were once she started looking for you. Another four hours after that we were being contacted by a third party trying to negotiate for your release." Vegeta's heart thudded, it only took her four hours? Vegeta may not be familiar with intrigue, but he was fairly certain that this group was keeping their existence a secret, and it only took her four hours to find out about them. Vegeta shivered, he had no idea what she was talking about when she had told him that she ran the biggest spy network in the universe. Perhaps, he should listen to her more often. That is if he ever got out of here.

"She offered money, assistance, whatever we needed as long as we freed you. She must really have a thing for you, huh monkey man? Can't imagine why though." Vegeta knew why. He was her ticket to freedom from under the claw of Frieza, but these people were also after the same goal. If their boasting was any indication, they were close to achieving it too. After all, he thought with disgust, they had captured him without any trouble and they could probably use the same method on Frieza and his men. If that was true then there was nothing stopping the woman from jumping out of bed with him and into bed with the Resistance, in the figurative sense of course, especially after his treatment of her before he left.

"We said no, of course. We would never deny ourselves the pleasure of watching a demon such as yourself bleed out on our floor." The man closed the file as he looked at Vegeta, the bon fire of vengeance flaming in his green eyes. Vegeta recognized the look, it was the same one he had when he looked at Frieza. The man leaned forward, a predatory gleam in his eye while waving the folder in front of him. Vegeta mentally braced himself for what was coming next.

"Don't you want to know how we know all this?" Rio'Kan taunted, his voice syrupy with false camaraderie. Vegeta did want to know. How did they know that it only took her four hours to find them and how did they know it was her that tried to negotiate for his freedom?

"Your woman is not as untouchable as she thinks she is. We've had a man on the inside for some time now. Since before she even got herself sent to that filthy backwater base. Initially we were just trying to steal some of her inventions, but she is too smart for that. She never lets anyone see the final project; she just lets them see pieces. Even her spy ring is sectioned out. All of her members have their own separate organization and they protect their contacts like a mother protects her cubs. I don't think she even knows everyone who spies for her." Rio'Kan was gritting his teeth in frustration now, and Vegeta couldn't stop the smirk that feathered across his lips. He always knew she was a pain it the ass, but leave it to her to piss off someone who was light years away from her.

Rio'Kan halted his tirade when he saw Vegeta's smirk. He boiled over with rage, throwing the file at the Prince, hitting him squarely in the chest with it. The file fell to the floor and the picture of Bulma slid out, her smiling features winking up at Vegeta.

"It's not as funny as you think Prince Vegeta. You see, she has outlived her usefulness, especially since she has decided to fuck a monster such as yourself. We initially thought to seduce her over to our side, but it's clear now that she is just some diseased whore who needs to be put down." Rio'Kan hissed with fury, his eyes dilating dangerously and a vein popped out from his forehead, throbbing with the intensity of his emotion. Vegeta felt his chest vibrating and he realized that he was growling again, but not his usually warning growl but the sound that you hear a heartbeat before you get your head ripped off.

The sound seemed to bring Rio'Kan back to his senses and instead of hissing with anger he began to bark with laughter. The glee he took at seeing Vegeta's furious features was enough to sweep away the last visages of his own fury. He turned on his heel to walk out of the room, pausing to taunt the monkey one last time.

"Sleep tight sweet prince, just know that your little princess won't make it to dawn." Rio'Kan's laughter echoed down the hall followed by Vegeta's enraged howling.


	15. Secret Hearts

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ, mores the pity.

A/N: Thanks so much for the encouraging reviews this last chapter. I will keep them close to my heart as I have a feeling I won't be so loved after this chapter. But what is love without a little pain?

Chapter: Fifteen

Secret Hearts

Vegeta glared down at the glossy photo, Bulma's perfect features smirking back at him. Since he had been captured all that he could think about was her. While the lashes rained down on him, he reminisced at the flavor of her pouting lips, the sparkle of her oceanic eyes and her mass of teal hair. He had suffered many beatings in his lifetime and he was always able to endure them with the stoicism worthy of a true warrior. He would retreat behind a black wall of hate that separated him from his tormentor. He would stew in the juices of vindication as he plotted how he would destroy those who tried to humble him, The Saiyan Prince. When he tried to retreat behind that wall this time he was waylaid by visions of the blue haired woman. Instead of imagining himself sinking his blood drenched hands into the flesh of his enemy he found himself fantasizing about spreading the woman's creamy thighs wide to receive him. Instead of dwelling in the heart of darkness, he existed in a realm of half shadows inhabited by the lustful siren.

As the days wore on he promised himself that once he escaped and was back at the base, he would lay her down and make her scream his name until her voice was raw. He found himself wanting to hear about the impossible idea that she would make into a reality in her lab, or what silly thing one of her techs said to her that day. He wanted all those things and more, even though he knew he could never claim them even if he did return to the base. He could not express his desire to her and consummate their relationship as true mates.

She deserved better than to be shackled to such a beast as him, even if he did end up ruling the universe. She had already told him repeatedly that she despised court life and was truly looking forward to retiring on her small planet. As his Queen she would never be able to have the peace that she so desired, so he would restrain the animal inside of him. He would be her silent protector, watching over her, allowing none to harm her.

Or at least that was his intention. He had been exceedingly foolish back on the planet, in a moment of rage he had expended all of his energy leaving him exposed to attack. He had allowed himself to be captured and now the woman was in danger because of it and he wasn't there to protect her.

_I should have left one of my men with her._

_I should have locked her in our rooms._

_I should have never left her._

He squeezed his eyes shut, blocking his view of her dazzling smile. Since they had become involved she had been nearly killed twice, almost raped, she was dabbling in treason, and mated to a man whose very name caused people to collapse into fits of blinding rage. Now because of her association with him her life was in danger, _again_.

He growled in frustration, as he pushed the romantic imbecile that had momentarily taken hold of his senses out of his mind. Thinking of her in such a manner was a waste of time, it's not like he really cared about the annoying woman he just lusted after her. He had to remember that she was just a means to an end, without her he wouldn't be able to gain the strength he needed to kill Frieza. He shouldn't be relying on some silly woman's creations anyways. He could train to defeat the lizard on his own. He tried to tell himself that he wouldn't miss looking at her ugly face or miss hearing her screeching voice harping on about what a genius she was.

He didn't even know why he was worried, she could probably talk any attacker onto her side and if that didn't work she would flatter him to death. Besides, he grudgingly admitted to himself, she was too smart to allow herself to be caught unawares, like some people who will remain nameless. She was fine. No harm would come to her. He told her to stay in the lab and she would do as he said. He looked down at the picture and his stomach clenched with doubt.

Bulma toddled around the outer lab, trying unsuccessfully to drown her worry in her work. She was toying with the idea of being able to create a gravity field around a single person, allowing them to move around outside of the GR but still feel the drag of increased weight.

She sat down at her workstation, rubbing her weary eyes. It was well after midnight and the rest of her staff had already retreated to their quarters for a good nights sleep, but rest was an elusive dream for Bulma. Every time she closed her eyes she saw blood and it felt like her head was being pounded by a jack hammer.

Her perfect ingenious plan to overthrow Frieza was about to fall down around her ears, all because a certain stubborn, arrogant Saiyan Prince had to go and get himself captured and all she could do was bite her nails with worry. Not because she was upset that her best chance for freedom could be destroyed or that she turned her back on the next best choice, but because her friend was in danger.

The wet heat that shot through her when she envisioned Vegeta's eye's blazing with unvoiced passion as his hard body danced under the strain of the GR reminded her that she felt more than just friendship for him. He was utterly ruthless, perfectly cruel if the situation called for it and he was completely detached from his emotions. He was strong, handsome, proud and unobtainable.

Deep down in the darkest part of her heart was a flicker of desire that Bulma didn't want to acknowledge. She was afraid that she may have fallen in love with the dark Prince and that was the most dangerous game of all. Love tore away your reason, leaving you open to betrayal, not necessarily from your lover, but from those around you who could manipulate you through your feelings. Love melted away a person's innate selfishness, making you willing to sacrifice everything for that person. Love turned you into a martyr.

Sighing deeply, Bulma realized that she had been staring at her desk blotter for the last half hour. She looked longingly at her coffee cup, yearning for the bitter brew that she had not tasted since she was twelve. Thanks to her absentminded father she had been addicted to the drink since she was nine and fifteen years later her body still craved it.

Shrugging with remorse that she would have to make due with herbal tea, she reached out to grab the heavy mug. As she leaned out across her desk, her other arm accidentally brushed her pencil off onto the floor. Without thinking she automatically bent down to retrieve it while still stretching for her cup. Her unseeing fingers knocked over the empty mug and she heard a soft click but before she could process the noise a blinding light filled the room accompanied by a deafening explosion. Pain briefly laced through her body then there was nothing but comforting darkness.

Flames raged around her, busting glass bottles and billowing thick black smoke. The normal alarms suspiciously did not ring and since the lab was soundproof, no one came running. The frail human woman laid amid the inferno her life blood seeping away with no savior in sight.

Sirens wailed while the annoyingly calm computer issued its warning.

INTRUDER ALERT. INTRUDER ALERT

Vegeta raised his head, a hard glint in his eyes. His heightened hearing could make out shouting and muffled explosions in the distance, steadily advancing nearer. Soon the clamor led up to his door and to Vegeta's surprise it slid open to reveal two strangers.

A raven haired man dressed in a black shirt and blue jeans stood next to a woman with white blond hair, wearing a navy skirt with a black and white pen stripe top stood outside, looking distinctly bored. Their matching hard diamond blue eyes tried to pierce though Vegeta, but his onyx eyes glared right back at them.

The man entered the room first, walking up to Vegeta, leaving the woman to close the door. He saw her pop open the control panel, efficiently rewiring the door to lock behind them. Vegeta glanced back at the stone-faced man, a flicker of interest passing over his features.

"Who are you?" Vegeta croaked out, as his gaze drifted down to the scarlet crest on the man's shirt. Vegeta's eyes widened before they darted back up to the man's face. The insignia claimed that he was a member of the Red Ribbon mercenary group, but Vegeta had never actually seen one before. Anyone who had ever had contact with them usually ended up dead or suspiciously unable to talk.

The man spoke tonelessly, but Vegeta detected a hint of sarcasm in the undercurrent. It wasn't directed at Vegeta per se, but at life in general.

"I am Android Seventeen. That is Android Eighteen. We have been sent to extract you."

He gripped the ki resistant bars and bent them apart effortlessly, stepping through and snapping Vegeta's chains from his wrists and ankles. Sending in androids that required no ki to function into a resistance camp that only used ki suppressing weaponry was pure genius.

_Bulma_

Before the prince could struggle to stand, the man produced a syringe and stuck Vegeta in the neck, injecting him with a yellow fluid. Vegeta growled in rage, but he was too weak to pick himself off the ground, much less rip the robot's arms off.

"We were instructed to inject you with the antidote immediately after your release." The android's tone was even but the sense of mocking grew, like the he was laughing at his own personal joke.

Vegeta was about to tell the man what he could do with his _instructions_ when there was a sudden popping deep inside of his body, then with a crack he could feel the invisible bands of steel that had locked his ki away snap with the force of his energy. All of his power surged to the surface, infusing his blood and body with the strength that he had so dearly missed. Vegeta assessed himself and he realized that the bloody beatings that he had endured daily had served to strengthen him even further, miraculously he was at least five times stronger than he had been on the planet. Even further down he could feel a hidden power rising even closer to the surface, nearing his grasp.

The Prince staggered to his feet, his muscles throbbing with distress, but they quickly absorbed the regenerative energy. Once he got his feet firmly under him and when he felt that he could move without falling on his face, he pinned the android with his unwavering gaze.

"You will retrieve my men and wait for me at the ship." His voice was rusty from lack of use, but it still rang with authority.

"Your desire to complete unfinished business was anticipated. Our contact has even provided us with fresh clothing for you, for when you are done." Number Eighteen's syrupy tones undulated down Vegeta's spine like a lovers caress, obviously she was designed for temptation.

Vegeta stared at the woman, while his mind raced. Bulma had known that his wrath would be unchecked once he was freed. She could have ordered that he was not to be injected with the antidote until after they had left the station, saving the inhabitants for a short while, until he regained his strength and returned to annihilate them. Instead she had gifted him with the power to exact his revenge immediately, knowing that no one would be spared. His efficient blue haired scientist knew him too well, and she had accepted his nature. His endangered scientist.

Anticipating his next move, Eighteen had already opened the door and without a backwards glance he bolted from the room, quickly honing in on Rio'Kan's ki. Vegeta's power flamed into place around him acting like a shield against the darts that the fools tried to shoot him with.

He brushed past his enemies, barely sparing them a glance, his entire being focused on one goal. He reached the command center, blowing through the heavy steel door like it was papier-mâché. He entered the room in a whirlwind of fury and power, blue ki sparking off him and shorting out nearby electronics, looking very much like an avenging angel, or in this case, demon.

He surged forward knocking aside the grunts who tried to protect their leader, their broken bodies bouncing across the floor like trash caught in a storm. Vegeta seized Rio'Kan with an iron grip around his neck, forcing him to his knees before the prince. Absently Vegeta noted that the man really was weak and did need to hide behind his inventions.

"You will call off your man. Tell him that Bulma is not to be harmed." Vegeta snarled down at the red faced man, his cruel lips peeled back to bare his white incisors with a predatory snarl. His pupils flicked red and Rio'Kan could have sworn that he was staring into the very hearth of hell. The promise of the pain and suffering in their depths caused the man's eyes to bug and he choked on his own spit. Vegeta loosened his grip, before leaning down nose to nose with the man.

"Do it." Vegeta's whispered words shot shivers of fear down his spine. Rio'Kan wildly wondered how he could do anything while caged in the demon's vice like grip, not that he could anyways. He was a dead man no matter what, no amount of pleading or lies could save him, so he decided that he might as well relish what little despair he could give to the prince before his time in this dimension was up.

"It's too late. She's already dead." Rio'Kan rasped out the words while watching Vegeta's face drain of all its blood.

"You lie." Vegeta hissed menacingly, his grief hidden by his rage.

"I'm not. The bomb in her lab detonated an hour ago. There was no way she could have survived." Rio'Kan barely finished uttering the words before his soft throat collapsed under the pressure of Vegeta's fingers. Tendrils of Vegeta's consciousness unfurled against the prince's will, reaching out to touch Bulma, but they were quickly dragged back when all they met was an empty void.

Vegeta tossed Rio'Kan's useless body aside, despair welling up inside of him, pulsing around him in great black waves. Without realizing it, he powered up, energy pouring out of him, ripping the walls away and buckling the support struts of the station. Debris and bodies whirled around him as the outer walls gave way to his power and the greedy vastness of space sucked up everything in its path, howling with frustration at not being able to claim Vegeta's immobile form.

The rational part of Vegeta's mind that hadn't given way to the primal animal reminded him of what happened back on the planet and at the last minute he reined in his power, not daring to unleash it all.

Alarms sounded throughout the station and the calm female voice was back.

EXTERIOR BREACH. BEGIN EVACUATION. STABILITY BREAKDOWN IN TEN MINUTES.

Vegeta grief stricken mind latched onto the one word that gave him purpose. Evacuation. There was no way that even one of these bastards was going to escape, not after what they had done.

In a flicker he appeared down at the docking bay, blasting escape pods and exterminating the rats that came to abandon ship. Once he was satisfied that there would be no escape, he boarded the waiting android ship. Without a word they accelerated, busting the docking clamps that had locked down to keep them in place, moving well out of range of the emanate explosion.

Vegeta watched with a dispassionate eye as the heart of the Freine Resistance Core collapsed in on itself before expanding in a nova ring of fire and steel, leaving no survivors.

Vegeta dragged his wayward emotions of sorrow and regret about Bulma, kicking and screaming down to the dark unseen part of his soul and slammed the door shut on them, locking them away for eternity.

He turned to Seventeen, the coldly arrogant Prince solidly in place.

"Where are my men?" Vegeta's tone was clipped, demanding an immediate answer.

"They are in the back with Eighteen. The Feine's interest in healing them seems to have dissipated and they had been left in their cells to die. Eighteen has them stabilized but they will need to visit a Regeneration Tank, once we get you back to the base."

"When will we arrive at the base?" Vegeta displayed no hint of curiosity, appearing as though he was merely gathering pertinent information.

"ETA is fifteen hours." Seventeen was just as unemotional.

Fifteen more hours and he would be able to collect the body of his mate and give her the proper Saiyan burial that she deserved. Tomorrow would be soon enough to think about what he was going to do about Frieza.


	16. Homecoming

Disclaimer: I don't own it, but my Vegeta doll whispers dark nothings in my ear.

Chapter Sixteen

Homecoming

By the time they docked at Primas, Nappa had regained consciousness, but was still in need of few hours of healing in the tanks. Raditz had begun recovering as well, but he was still passed out cold from his injuries. Without a word, Android Eighteen opened the doors for them to exit and Vegeta hefted Raditz over his shoulder before striding down the off ramp. They had barely cleared the hatch before the Androids powered up their ship to depart.

Vegeta shifted Raditz's weight and turned down the hall to the tanks, Nappa limping behind him. Vegeta pushed through the double doors only to encounter a thick wall of bodies blocking his path. It looked like most of the warriors on the base were standing outside the Regeneration Room, well away from the entrance. Propped up against walls or their buddies were several wounded soldiers, bleeding all over the floor, but making no move to enter the room.

"What are you idiots doing? Get out of my way." Vegeta growled in annoyance, shoving and elbowing his way through the crowd until he reached the head of the throng. On the floor in front of him were two dead bodies with charred, smoking holes in their chests and three bots guarded the door to the Regeneration Room in an aggressive fashion.

A brave man, hardened by many battles dared to face Vegeta. "That woman of yours won't let anyone into the Regen Room." The man spat in frustration, his friend was leaning heavily on him, his guts dripping messily onto the ground.

Vegeta's eyes narrowed dangerously and the man shifted, uncomfortably aware that the Prince caused more deaths in a month than he had in his entire life.

"What did you say?" Vegeta's tone was deceptively soft but on the inside he was a riot of emotion. Elation and disbelief warred for supremacy. The man lowered his gaze to the ground as he broke into a sweat, but fear for his companion's life egged him on.

"What I mean to say is that her robots won't let anyone into the room while she is in there." The man stuttered while Vegeta glared daggers at him. Before Vegeta could question him further, he heard a familiar but disembodied voice call out to him.

"Vegeta, welcome home! I am sure that I missed you while you were gone." Vegeta looked down to see that while he was concentrating on the man one of the bots had approached him and was now displaying a hologram of the woman about six inches tall.

"If you are seeing this it means that I can't greet you myself as I'd like." She batted her eyes seductively and he felt his cheeks flush softly. "Months ago I created these bots to guard me when you weren't around. You remember, right after that little incident with Raja, you know where he tried to kill you while you were in the tank? I figured it would be a good idea to have some protection while you are off rampaging on some piss ant planet." The pseudo Bulma fluffed her hair before continuing. "After all, I _am_ a genius and I think of everything, you know." Vegeta automatically rolled is eyes at her egocentric comment.

"Anyways, I programmed them to respond to your voice, cause I figured that you would be yelling bloody murder about something when you came back. They will follow your instructions and you can do what you want with them now that you are home, hunny bunny." There was a strangled snort behind Vegeta at her last words and he whipped around to glare at the crowd warningly. Everyone seemed to find the ceiling or floor to be of the utmost interest and no one dared to look directly at him. Even the warrior whose friend was dying covered his mouth while looking at his boots.

_She did that on purpose to embarrass me. _

_So what, she's alive!_

Bulma's image winked out of existence and the bot remained still awaiting his orders. "Let me and my men pass." Vegeta order with authority, but he could barely suppress his excitement. He strode into the room, his eyes quickly searching for any sign of the blue haired onna. He quickly located her tank and he could not suppress his sigh of relief.

_She is alive!_

She was alive not dead. She had survived the attack and had enough wits about her to protect herself while she was vulnerable. Nappa crawled into his own tank while Vegeta dumped Raditz into a tank and set the dials. Raditz and Nappa would only need about four hours in the tanks as their rapid healing had done most of the work while they were on the ship traveling back to the base.

Once his men were taken care of he walked over to the tank that housed Bulma. She floated in the murky fluid, her hair waving around her like languid seaweed while her unusually pink skin glowed. He could see the fibers of flesh on her left shoulder knitting together a gapping wound and the left side of her face under her eye socket bubbled slightly. He checked the dials and saw that she had been in there a total of ten hours already and had another eight to go. From the read out he could see that she had been placed into the tank then taken back out five hours later, several hours after that she was put back in.

Confused, Vegeta scanned the room for an explanation as to why her regeneration cycle had been interrupted. His eye alighted on the stainless steel table in the corner of the room that was coated in blood, Bulma's blood. Understanding coursed through him as he looked at the dark congealed mess. Whoever had saved her had put her into the tank to stabilize her, before taking her back out for surgery. Rio'Kan said that they had planted a bomb and she would have had shrapnel embedded in her body that would need extracting, if that was the case.

He printed a read out of her injuries, dreading what it would say. As he read through the list he felt his face go pale and his stomach became queasy. Years of killing had left him unprepared to examine the extent of the damage endured by his woman.

Her left eye had been reduced to an unusable pulp and her skull had been fractured in three places. Her left ear drum had burst under the pressure of the blast and her face was severely lacerated. Her left arm had almost been ripped off at the socket and was left a mangled mass dangling by only a few strands of flesh attached to her shoulder. Five ribs had been broken and had pierced her lung causing her to nearly drown in her own blood and bile. She had numerous cuts and abrasions from where objects had collided with her body at an unnatural velocity. Most horrific of all, she had received second degree burns on seventy percent of her body, searing her flesh to the bone. The fact that she had survived the initial blast was amazing, that she would have a complete recovery was a miracle. Or just a matter of pure genius. If she hadn't refitted the Regeneration Tanks to recreate complex tissue instead of just healing wounds when she had first arrived on the base, she wouldn't be alive right now or she would be missing an arm, an eye and would have had irreversible scarring.

Vegeta dropped the readout and returned to stand in front of the tank, only thin glass stopped him from reaching out and holding her like he wanted too. In a moment of weakness, bolstered by the fact that no one could see him he leaned his forehead against the glass, relief evident in every pore of his body. He disregarded his pride for the first time in his life as he uttered the words that held his heart hostage.

"I'm sorry that I hurt you before I left Bulma and I am sorry that I wasn't here to protect you." Vegeta's whisper was so low that only he and the gods could hear. He raised his gloved hand to the glass, as if he was cupping her face, caressing it like it was her porcelain skin that he touched. With that said he turned on his heel and exited the room, intent of feeding the rancorous fury that clamored inside of him.

He turned in the opposite direction than where he had originally come from, moving towards the lab, when a shout stopped him.

"Hey aren't you going to call off those bots so we can get in there?" Asked the grisly warrior from before. Vegeta turned to the man, his ruthless sneer firmly in place.

"No."

"But we have wounded out here." The man cried desperately.

"Well that's their own damn fault isn't it? They should be more careful with their frail bodies." Vegeta turned to leave, the conversation unworthy of his time, he had a traitor to find and execute.

"But people are going to die." The man persisted and abruptly Vegeta whipped around, the ki blast leaving his palm before anyone could even register that he raised his hand. The man blew off his feet, dragging his dying friend with him. Blood splattered nearby warriors and there was a gasp of astonishment. The man was dead before his body came to a skidding halt at the end of the corridor.

"No one gets in until my mate is done." Vegeta hissed in a low dangerous tone, his eyes narrowed with promised violence. The men nodded enthusiastically, afraid to meet the powerful Saiyan's gaze. Satisfied, Vegeta turned on his heel to leave for the lab, this time unhindered.

As he proceeded down the corridor, Vegeta noticed the trail of blood left by his woman as she had shuffled down the hall. He could see two sets of footprints, one set obviously unsteady as evidenced by the bloody handprints that painted wall. Next to those were another small set, possibly made by a woman, who had helped Bulma walk to the tank.

A thunderous scowl on his face and vengeance in his heart he strode into the lab that he had called home for so many weeks. He skidded to a halt as the lab door slid open to reveal a disaster zone. Bulma's staff was industrially trying to clear the mess, but it was obvious that most of the lab and equipment was destroyed by the blast. Soot marks climbed the walls where the fire had blazed out of control and water damage had warped the floor tiles.

Glancing down, Vegeta nudged an unrecognizable clear glob that lay on the ground before realizing that it was a glass bottle that had melted under the intense heat. Vegeta looked up as Jace approached him, pale and distraught, blood on his white lab coat. Vegeta's eyes narrowed, more of Bulma's blood.

He ran his fingers through his hair as was his habit when he was agitated, leaning close to Vegeta to speak.

"Someone planted a bomb to kill her." His words shook with anger and shock. "I think it was attached to something on her desk, but she must have been leaning down or something because she didn't catch the full force of the explosion in the chest like she was supposed too. That's the only reason why she didn't die instantly." Jace looked over to Delia who was absently picking through the debris, concern etched on her features as she watched them talk.

"Delia couldn't sleep and came to the lab to talk to Bulma, but when she got here the lab was engulfed in flames. Whoever set the bomb also made sure to disconnect the alarms and sprinklers. Delia had to manually override the system to set them off, before she could even get into the room." Jace sighed deeply, the strain of someone sabotaging the lab wearing down on him heavily.

"I don't know how she did it, but she managed to haul Bulma to the regeneration tanks before she died. If she hadn't come when she did, Bulma would be dead for sure." Vegeta eyed the man closely, looking for any sign of deception, but the man scent was only tainted with stress and no hint of dishonesty wafted off of him.

Jace smoothed his hands over his coat looking even more distressed. "Delia came and got me and I rushed down to the tanks. It was horrible. I just… I just didn't know what to do. I let the tanks heal up her internal injuries before pulling her out for surgery. I had to pull broken glass and pieces of metal out of her, along with shards of broken bone. It was just horrible." Jace looked like he was about to break down and Vegeta huffed at him in warning. It was one thing to see a woman cry but a man in tears was completely unacceptable. Jace pulled himself together, but was still looking around the lab like a dog that had lost its master. Vegeta was unimpressed by the man's distress and was only concerned with one thing.

"I want you to gather all of the staff in a straight line in the center of the room." Vegeta commanded and Jace shot him a startled look. More lines creased on the man's forehead and Vegeta could see that he was getting ready to question him.

"Just do it right now." He barked the order causing Jace to jump. He turned away gathering everyone into the center. Vegeta glanced over to see Delia slowly nearing him, twisting her hands together in worry. Her usually beautiful mouth was drawn down into an unbecoming frown and her eyes glittered with unshed tears.

She paused uncertainly in front of him and Vegeta eyed her, trying not to look too intimidating, which wasn't very successful. He owed a lot to this woman, and he felt that at the very least he shouldn't scare the wits out of her too much. Finally, she dredged up enough courage to address him.

"Um, Sir, or uhh Prince, um sire." She stuttered, wringing her hands desperately. Vegeta rolled his eyes in agitation, trying to remind himself not to scare her as he corrected her in his most neutral tone, not realizing how frightening even that could be.

"Call me Vegeta. What do you want, woman?"

"I uhh Vegeta, I was um wondering if Raditz was uhh okay." The last word was said in a whisper, her eyes huge with concern as she bit her lower lip.

"He's in the tank. He'll be out in four hours or so." Vegeta told her impassively, briefly wondering how Raditz was going to react to her after his revelations on the planet they had purged were made known. She nodded her head and quickly scurried away to stand at the end of the line that had formed.

Vegeta stalked up to Bulma's employees like a drill sergeant, intent on humiliation. His goal was not to strike at their pride, but to claim the life of the one who betrayed Bulma. He glared at them all down the line, the hellfire of vengeance burning in his eyes. A wave of unease washed through the group and even the innocent began to sweat with uncertainty.

"Someone here tried to kill Bulma which means someone here tried to kill _my mate_. Someone stabbed her in the back like some fucking, witless coward." He hissed in fury, as he stalked up to the first person in line, Jace.

"Did you betray Bulma?" Vegeta asked in a deadly whisper his senses attuned to every nuance of the man's body, from the dilation to his pupils to his salty scent. Whenever someone lied they gave off a very distinct odor and over the years, Vegeta had learned to recognize it, one of the benefits to be a superior being.

"No." Jace answer vehemently, his head held high and his eyes full of scorn at the thought that he would betray his friend. Down the line he went asking the same question, while receiving the same answer. He could see Delia down at the end becoming more and more agitated and he knew that her delicate emotions probably couldn't handle such an intense situation. In the last few hours she been through a lot and because of his debt to her for saving Bulma, he regretted having to put her through this ordeal.

He stood in front of a fresh faced man and the stench of betrayal hit him before he even asked the question. The man looked him straight in the eye and lied beautifully. The onna would be impressed with his talent he thought absently before settling his hand over the man's shoulder, clamping down brutally.

The man's knees collapsed from under him, but he glared up at Vegeta, no fear shining in his eyes, only hate.

"You are lying." Vegeta stated impassively, his anger boiling on the inside.

The man spat in his face, his saliva trickling down his chin as Vegeta wiped his face with the back of his free arm.

"That bitch deserved to die for fucking an animal like you." He shouted, fanaticism ebbing off of him. The rest of the occupants in the room gasped and quickly moved away from the man like he was a carrier of a deadly disease. Without a word Vegeta hauled him up by his shirt collar and dragged him out of the room. The rest of the staff followed silently behind, their own thirst for vengeance clamoring for satisfaction. They felt the betrayal as deeply as Bulma would. One of their own had hurt their beloved friend and leader.

The man fought futilely as he screamed obscenities to Vegeta, which for the most part he ignored as he dragged the man down the corridor. Occasionally, Vegeta would slam the man forcibly into the wall for saying something extremely crude about Bulma, before yanking him out of the hole he created and striding on. The man's yells drew the attention of the other inhabitants on the base and soon Vegeta had a mob of people following him at a distance.

Vegeta stopped in front of the airlock, typing in the code to open the door to the decompression chamber. The man's screams became more frantic as he realized how Vegeta was going to extract his revenge. The man desperately clawed at the door jam as Vegeta pulled him into the room before the door slid shut.

One of the scientists quickly ran up to the door and brought up the viewing screen of the room so the people in hall could hear and see what was happening in the decompression chamber. They saw the man kneeling before an unyielding Vegeta, begging for his life.

"If you kill me, my people will hunt you down and make you pay." The young man threatened as a last resort, desperately trying to save his own life. Vegeta scoffed down at the groveling male.

"I killed every single one of your people. Just like I killed their families before them. They were ghosts anyways, surviving long after they should have been dead. Nothing is left of your precious resistance core." Vegeta hissed taking pleasure in the man's despair. The man's emblazed eyes glared up at the prince, his hate and anger brimming over, but Vegeta was unaffected by the dark aura.

"You will burn in hell." The man spat and Vegeta laughed scornfully into his face.

"So I have been told." Vegeta snickered and grabbed him by the scruff of the neck standing him up on his feet. He leaned in close to the doomed man to whisper his final words.

"You will live longer if you exhale." Without pause, Vegeta rammed his fist into the man's gut, causing him to release all the breath in his lungs, before slapping the button that opened the door to the outside.

The man's frail scientist body could not withstand the thin atmosphere that was very similar to outer space. Instantly, he began to choke as the pressure swelled his tongue and his eyes bulged from their sockets. His body began to convulse painfully as the airless vacuum began to suck him apart. His lungs would have exploded if he had air in them, but unmercifully he lived thirty seconds longer because he didn't.

Vegeta left the room without a word, the people silently parting to let him pass. As soon as he was out of sight, gossip rippled throughout the base and within ten minutes explanations on who the man was and his crime against the Saiyan prince was relayed in detail for all the residents.

Vegeta returned to the labs, his vengeance unsatisfied but he was left with no one else to kill. He knew that the real anger he felt was directed at himself. Anger for letting her get so severely hurt, and anger for caring about her. He stepped into the GR, cranking up the gravity, attempting to meld his body in the perfect weapon so he could achieve his ultimate goal, while desperately trying to forget the ache in his heart.

Raditz rounded the corner, stretching out his sore muscles, before he skidded to a halt at the sight of Delia standing outside of his door with her golden arms wrapped around her slender waist. His breath caught in his throat, even though she looked bedraggled and tired she was still immensely beautiful to him.

His heart sank when he thought of her delicate body being abused, like he had abused women in the past. His eyes clenched shut as the overwhelming sensation of unworthiness welled up inside of him.

"Raditz?" Her dulcet tones cascaded over his body like a lover's caress. He opened his onyx eyes to stare into her worried violet ones. A frown creased her forehead and he watched as she scanned his body for any apparent wounds.

"Are you okay?" She asked hesitantly, not understanding why he was just standing there, staring at her. Shaking off his enchantment, he nodded that he was fine before moving past her to unlock his door. Her frown deepened at his brush off, but the need to make sure that he was healthy overrode her natural instinct to turn away.

"Can I come in?" He could feel her voice reach out and wrap itself around him in a silvery web, drawing him into her. It was better for them both if he cut it off now, before she found out his true nature, before he had to see the disgust in her eyes.

"I don't think so." His tone was harsh and she flinched away, confused and hurt. She didn't understand his sudden coldness towards her. She wanted to run away and hide but she knew that if she did, she would never be able to come back. She didn't know what had happened to make him harden against her, but she was determined to thaw him.

"Please." Her voice was steel covered in velvet. She would not be denied, she would not be turned away. She placed a dainty hand on his arm and he shuddered at her touch. Her scent teased his senses and he could not resist her hypnotizing plea. Nodding, he entered the room, drawing her in with him.

As soon as the door closed he knew that this was a mistake, he could not be in a private room with her. His desire was too great. In order to put some distance between them he crossed the room to sit in a shadowy corner, fixing her with an intimidating glare.

"What do you want Delia?" His voice was not as commanding as he wanted it to be. Instead, it was a husky bedroom whisper, meant for moonlight and satin sheets.

She shifted with indecision, until finally to his dismay she moved across the room towards him. Her hips dipped with the unconscious grace of a beautiful woman, as her loose blonde hair swirled around her shoulders. She clasped her hands in front of her, unknowingly presenting herself as a chaste virgin trapped in a temptress' body.

Raditz turned away from the sight, but her voice ensnared him even deeper into her web.

"I just wanted to make sure that you were okay. I was so worried about you Raditz." His name was a breathy whisper, flowing gently past her lips as though it was uttered in the throes of passion. Raditz swallowed, shifting in his seat as his arousal became a clawing demand in his gut.

"As you can see I'm fine. Now if there is nothing else." He was more successful at being curt, but what sounded like annoyance was actually painful need. Her lavender eyes filled with hurt, darkening them to a twilight hue. In a gesture of uncommon bravery she launched herself into his lap, her arms entwining around his neck. She hid her face in the nook of his neck, desperately holding back her tears.

"What have I done to anger you?" Her words carried her pain clearly to his ears. Surprised at her action, he instinctively wrapped his muscular arms around her back, holding her against him tenderly. He rubbed his palm over her lower back soothingly and his chest vibrated with a comforting purr.

"You have done nothing wrong, my fair one. I only wished to save you from pain." His longing for her grew as he held her close and he shifted discreetly so she wouldn't feel his arousal jutting against her buttocks.

"How would you cause me pain?" Her head rested against his broad shoulder and her breath feathered across his throat seductively.

"I have done things, crimes that I unthinkingly committed, but now have come to haunt me. I never considered how my actions would affect others, only that my own urges were satisfied. When you are what I am, you tend to shut out the screams." His words were filled with despair and self loathing.

The breakthrough on the planet's surface had only been the beginning for the strong man. As he had lain under the lash of retribution, he had plenty of time to think about his sins. If he had been captured even six months before, he would have remained unaffected by the event. He would have carried on exactly the same on the next planet, uncaring and unfeeling to those he played with before killing them off.

He wasn't sure how Delia had done it, but just being in her presence had awakened him to a world he didn't even know existed. The world of the unwilling victim. Like his prince, he had felt that if you weren't strong enough to defend yourself than you deserved whatever happened to you, but looking upon the golden features of the woman who entranced his body and his heart, he knew instantly, that she had never deserved what had happened to her.

She deserved fine wines, silks dresses and jeweled combs. She did not deserve the lustful advances of a murderer and a rapist. No matter what, he had learned a valuable lesson. He still was a killer, after all he had a job to do, but he would not taunt his victims and never again would he take a woman against her will.

"Do not think that you are the only one who has committed unforgivable sins. The day will come to pass when you will look upon me with loathing and it breaks my heart to think of it." Her words carried a deep bitterness of a story untold. She pushed away from his chest, intending to escape his loving embrace, but he held her fast against him, burying his nose deep into her scented hair.

"I will never hate you. You are my light to my darkness. I will cherish you to the end of time." She gasped at his words, never imagining that such a hardened man could have such deep feelings much less express them to her. She felt tears of joy intermingle with those of regret flowing down her face. She didn't care about tomorrow or yesterday, she only wanted this one moment of happiness.

Slowly she leaned down, her eyes captured by his dark gaze and gently she touched her lips against his, shivering at sparks of desire that coursed through her. Acutely aware of her trepidation, Raditz allowed her to press her soft mouth against his while he massaged her back gently. Her tongue darted out to taste him and he had to fight the urge to crush her against him. Instead he parted his lips, letting her hesitantly enter, her tongue sliding over his teeth to delicately greet his.

With a patience he didn't know he possessed he wound his tongue slowly against hers, waltzing sensually in an erotic dance of love. Her hands fluttered up to rest on his shoulders, while his hand traveled up her back and down. Their pace was not the demanding rush of lust nor was it chastely awkward. Their first kiss was a sweet mixture of longing, desire and sorrow.


	17. Tease

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ, but if I did, I would have made sure that Vegeta and Trunks kept their tails. I don't own this little earring scene in this chapter either, I shamelessly ripped it off from a commercial on tv that I saw and thought was cute. Unfortunately I can't remember what the commercial was selling so I don't know who to give the credit too.

Chapter Seventeen

Tease

After crawling out of the regen tank, Bulma slept for two days. The rapid healing process had depleted most of her body's resources and she needed to recover from her harrowing experience. She woke up briefly on the first day, long enough to switch on the microphone to the GR to tell Vegeta that he would go to the dance with her the next day to celebrate. Instead of arguing, he merely looked into the monitor with an odd expression on his face that she could not decipher in her exhausted state and shrugged that he heard her. She went back to her room and collapsed into a heap on her bed.

When the tank had completed its cycle, Vegeta had been there to gently lift her out and cradle her in his arms. Still drugged and slightly overwhelmed from the events in the past few days, she had broken down into sobs, caging his neck in her arms. Her relief that he was home and alive was evident in every shudder of her body. She didn't remember much after that, only waking up in her bed with the sense of security surrounding her.

Now she stood in the tiny bathroom, applying her blue eyeliner, while waiting for Vegeta to come back from the gym. It was nearing six and the party was going to start in a few minutes. To celebrate Ascension Day the residents of the base had decided on throwing a shindig in the cafeteria. The chefs had prepared mounds of food and Bulma as a means of amends for the trouble that Vegeta and she had caused on the base had weeks ago procured crates of alcohol to be served.

It seemed that thoughts of Vegeta were never far from her mind these days. While he had been on the base with her she hadn't given his presence a second thought, but when he had been taken away from her she had found herself drowning in indecision. She realized just how important he had grown to her and his absence had made her ache with sorrow. She saw how his men respected and feared him, not only his men but everyone that he came into contact with. In a word, those who had the misfortune of meeting Vegeta would call him evil. Bulma had thought long and hard about that word and its meaning when she was told that the Freine Resistance Core would not return him to her, choosing instead to punish him for his crimes.

Wicked; to cause harm or distress, a source of sorrow, was what her tattered Earth dictionary read. All of these things could be used to describe Vegeta. One would not be remiss in saying that he was the right hand of the king of hell himself. An unholy angel that rained fire and brimstone down on those whom his master pointed a clawed hand at, but Bulma did not see these things when she looked at Vegeta. She saw a man, that no one had a reason to love, a solitary figure in on a battlefield of shadows, feared, hated and very much alone.

Sometime between worrying if he would return to her and this evening as she dressed she had made the unconscious decision to seduce the Saiyan prince. In the last few days the reality of the danger they faced was shoved forcefully in her face and she found herself afraid of letting a piece of heaven slip away before she tasted it. She didn't know what tomorrow would bring them, but right now she wanted to reach out and touch him, to reassure herself that he did exist. Others might not see him as a knight in shinning armor, he was too tarnished, too damaged, but he was her demon knight and tonight she was going to claim him.

She heard the door open and she leaned out the bathroom portal to call out.

"Vegeta, in here." She sang out, bubbling with enthusiasm. After so many months of hard work and one disaster after another, she was looking forward to a good time. He entered the room, his blue training suit accenting his cut physique and it was apparent that he had taken a shower at the gym before returning.

His form filled the bathroom doorway as he leaned up to latch his hand over the top of the portal, stretching out his sore shoulder while managing to look incredibly sexy. He stood there casually, his coal black eyes skimming down her frame, bringing to mind every dark fantasy she had ever had about him.

"What woman?" He purred while his heavy lidded eyes watched her apply her make-up. His gaze narrowed longingly, taking in the midnight blue dress that she wore. The gown dipped down between her breasts leaving her creamy skin bare to her belly button, while indecently sheer scraps of clothed covered her breasts, leading up to thin straps that hooked over her shoulders. The dress was backless, leaving the materiel to gather at her lower back right above the curve of her buttocks before falling down around her thighs. She had piled her teal hair on top of her head, and she wore a diamond necklace that laced around her throat while a long strand of sparking gold and ice lay down the center of her back, tantalizing him to reach out and trace its path down her spine. In the front the same design dripped down her front between her breasts.

At the sight of her standing there innocently brushing color onto her face he was filled with the overwhelming urge to wrap her in his arms and hold her against him. The hours she had spent in the tank had been the longest in his entire life. Finally, when she emerged fully healed he had been able to gather her up and reassure himself that she was indeed alive. She had been barely coherent, but at the sight of him she had burst into tears, sobbing inconsolably into his arms. At first he thought she was stricken with fear at the sight of him, the last time he had seen her he had hurt her and broken her trust, but soon he found that her tears were of relief. Between her sobs he had been able to make out that she was happy that he had come home to her.

_Home, to her._

"I laid out some clothes on the bed for you." After she had found out that he only owned four training suits and a set of battle armor to his name, she had ordered some clothes for him. Of course he never wore them, muttering something about them being useless to a warrior, but she was determined that he would dress appropriately for tonight. To her surprise he didn't argue but turned to examine the garments. She put down her rouge, intending on leaving the room so he could get dressed, but when as she turned to face him he dropped his suit on the ground in one smooth motion, leaving his backside bare to her appreciative gaze.

Unable to move or speak she stood entranced as she watched the muscles in his back bunch as he leaned over to pick up the khaki slacks she had left out, while completely ignoring the silk boxers. She was treated to a magnificent view of his ass as he bent over to put one foot then the other in the legs, before pulling them up over his chiseled cheeks, shrouding them from her view.

As soon as he had dropped his suit to the floor, the air was filled with the aroma of her arousal and Vegeta almost turned around right there. He wanted nothing more than to pin her against the hard wall, pull her long legs up around his waist and sink himself into her hot velvet depths. He wasn't sure what possessed him to tease her like that, maybe it was to get back at her for wearing such a scintillating gown, but as soon as he did it he regretted it. He could avoid looking at her, removing the temptation of her body from his sight, but her scent was something he could never escape. It was forever imprinted onto his mind and it was more of an aphrodisiac than any drug.

"Enjoying the show, woman?" He asked gruffly without turning around to face her. She swallowed as she nodded before realizing that he couldn't see her.

"Yes, but don't you think you should put some boxers on?" She was breathless and her words sounded like a caress. He turned to face her and her heart caught in her throat.

"Why?" He asked, his onyx eyes trapping her at the door.

"It's only proper." Was her pert reply, but he only cocked an eyebrow in amusement as her attention was obviously drawn elsewhere.

Her eyes drifted down over his perfect pectorals and his rock hard of abdominals. His trousers were slung low over his hips and the shadow between the protrusion and his softly rounded lower stomach begged to be licked. Unconsciously her tongue darted out to slick over her upper lip, causing Vegeta to shift in order to control his answering surge of desire. Her eyes darted back up to his and she decided instantly that she preferred him naked under the slacks.

Shrugging she turned away, "Never mind," she muttered. She flipped up the lid to her jewelry box, picking up a set of diamond studded earrings. Vegeta entered the much too small room, forcing her to move over by the toilet while he picked up a brush to run it through his locks, his biceps bulging under the bronze layer of his skin.

_Its not like he has any other style other than the gravity defying, I stuck my finger in the light socket look._

Snickering silently to herself, she lost the grip on the earring she had been trying to put on and watched in horror as it fell into the toilet with a plop, coming to rest at the bottom while twinkling tauntingly at her.

_Ewww._ _I am not sticking my hand in there._

Before she could even complete the thought, Vegeta leaned down to pluck the earring out of the water, holding it in his hand palm up for her while he ran his fingers through his hair, still examining himself in the mirror. She looked at the earring uncomprehendingly for a moment, barely even realizing that Vegeta had done something incredibly sweet for her, of course he had to ruin it by opening his mouth.

"Hurry up woman. I don't have all day." He growled while holding out his hand. She flashed him a look before delicately pinching the earring between her forefinger and thumb, rinsing it off in the sink. He turned to leave as she was reaching for the alcohol to sanitize it.

"Where do you think you are going?" She asked and he turned back to her his eyebrow cocked.

"Wash your hands mister." She was appalled that he would leave without scrubbing his hand with soap after sticking it in the toilet. He opened his mouth to argue, but her face clouded with the look that all wives and mothers get, the one that warns you that if you knew what was best you had better not sass them back. He moved to the sink, thoroughly washing his hands and drying them on the towel while throwing her a look that said "Happy now" before going back into the bedroom.

He snatched up the blue pullover that she laid on the bed for him, dropping it down over his head. The sleeves were long, so he bunched him up around his elbows, leaving his tanned forearms bare.

Bulma was fussing in the bathroom still and Vegeta rolled his eyes. "Aren't you ready yet?"

Bulma sighed before stalking out the bathroom and over to the closet to grab a pair of strappy gold heels that matched her jewelry. She sat on the edge of the bed to slide them on her feet and to her shock when she was done Vegeta stood in front of her with his hand out to help her up. Her eyes trailed up his arm to lock with his smoldering obsidian ones before she hesitantly placed her palm in his. Awareness shot through her arm as his strong fingers wrapped around her finely boned hand to gently tug her up into a standing position only a hairsbreadth away from him. Her breath caught in her throat as his musky scent surrounded her, entwining around her seductively, pulling her towards him. She swayed slightly and his eyes flared in response. With a soft growl he dropped her hand and strode out of the room, leaving her rife with disappointment.

As he waited for her by the door he mentally berated himself for getting so close to her. Her scent still lingered in the air and the proximity of the bed gave him too many carnal thoughts. When she had told him that he should come to the party tonight his first instinct was to say no. His training was more important than immersing himself into a sea of intoxicated fools that gyrated disgustingly in front of him, but then the knowledge of what he would be able to do to the woman, while in public invaded his fertile mind. Now he wasn't so sure that it was a good idea to get that close to her. Before he had left on his mission he had been confident that he could control himself while in her presence, but now that resistance was slipping and what was worse was that he wasn't as concerned about it as he should be.

She appeared around the corner smiling with ill-concealed excitement as together they exited their rooms. With a steady grip on her elbow he helped her navigate the mess in the outer lab, her three inch heels hindering her progress over the rough terrain. Debris was strewn everywhere despite everyone's hard work, however today her team had knocked off early for the party.

Vegeta glanced down at her as they walked down the hall, startled that her scent was getting stronger with every step and they were barely touching. She smiled up at him not paying attention to the man who bumped into her as they passed in the hall. Vegeta reached over, grabbing the man by the shirt with the feral intention of breaking his legs since he obviously didn't know how to use them properly anyways. Bulma's tiny hand on his wrist made him pause and he looked down at her pained features, she shook her head no and he knew that she didn't want their evening to be ruined by blood shed. With a snarl of disgust he shoved the man away from them being sure to memorize his face, before taking her arm to enter the lift.

She dipped her hand into her purse and produced a silver tube which she opened and slicked over her lips painting them red, reminding Vegeta of delicious cherry tarts. Finally Vegeta could take no more and he leaned in close, sniffing her again to be sure. "Woman, why do you smell…" He cut himself off realizing belatedly that telling her that he could smell her desire would be unwise. She cocked an eye at him a slightly disgruntled look on her face. "It's called perfume Vegeta." She growled while making a mental note to get rid of her scents.

The door opened and they could hear the pounding of the music down the hall, grabbing Vegeta's hand she pulled him along, anxious to get to the party. The entered the dinning hall, the low ambient illumination creating appealing shadows, while the dance floor sparkled with colored lights.

Food and alcohol flowed freely as the entire base enjoyed the upbeat atmosphere. Bulma and Vegeta made their way over to where her staff was sitting, noting that Delia sat in Raditz's lap, while Nappa leaned against the wall. Vegeta chose a seat in a dark corner behind everyone else, his glittering eyes alert for any danger. Without hesitation she followed him and with unspoken understanding that in public they could indulge in their urges, she sank down to perch on his knee, while skimming her hands up his chest to lace around his neck.

As they had walked through the crowded room, Vegeta had seen more than one man take a second look at the stunning woman and he plucked at the thin material of her gown, disapproval shining in his eyes, but he could not hide the lust that resided their as well.

"Why did you wear such a scrap woman, you might as well be wearing nothing." He growled hoarsely, while shifting her closer to him. Her lips curled into a bewitching smile, the natural seductress inside of her surfacing to tempt the hard man before her.

She trailed her finger between her breasts, flicking the gold diamond encrusted chain that hung there. "Naked is not nearly as tantalizing as nearly naked. Clothing arranged in the right manner serves to intensify desire, drawing appreciative gazes to specific areas of the body." She leaned in close, her breath flowing over his sensitive ear as she whispered too him. "You bare some flesh here," she drew a circle over her breastbone, before hooking a finger under the clothing pulling it to the side slightly baring more of her ivory hued breast, "while teasing the man with the flesh that is still covered, building a burning need inside of him, until he can't resist you."

Vegeta watched her fingers, entranced with her motions, but at her words his eyes flickered up to meet hers, unquenched desire raging in both their hearts. He reminded himself of the promise he had made while sitting in his lonely cell, surrounded by the enemy but only seeing the light of her beauty. He wanted nothing more than to succumb to the burning need that raged inside of him, but his tattered honor would not allow him to take what she offered. She had no idea what she would be giving away by becoming his mate it the fullest sense, he didn't think he would be able to let her walk away from him in the end once he had tasted her.

"I could resist you if I had too woman." His husky tone sent shivers of longing coursing through her veins, before it collided with the banked fire of need that simmered in the pit of her stomach. The challenge he issued could not be ignored. She would fight to get what she wanted, not with physical strength but with forbidden allure.

She leaned in close, her red lips a breath from his firm mouth. For effect she allowed the tip of her pink tongue to peek out at the corner of her mouth before sliding it over her full upper lip, while gazing deeply into his stormy eyes. How could she have ever thought them to be blank and cold when they showed so much of his hidden desires? You only had to know what to look for.

"The beauty of it is that you don't have to resist me." Her full breasts were pressed against his solid chest, scorching her through the sheer material of her gown, offering the bounty of her flesh, to his starving soul. She had dabbed an intoxicating scent along her neck and in the valley of her breasts and the flowery perfume wrapped around him like silken bonds, teasing him with unfulfilled promises.

"Lack of control is undesirable in a warrior." He tried to hold his lust in check but he could no resist teasing her, touching her. He edged his mouth a fraction closer so that she could feel his lips move against hers as he slid his hand up under her skirt cupping her naked bottom. To his immense pleasure he found that he was not the only one who had decided not to wear undergarments that night.

"You aren't wearing any panties and you bitch at me for not wearing underwear." He growled while biting her lower lip, holding it for a fraction before letting it go again. Somehow she had shifted her position so she was now straddling him and at his words she rocked forward slightly creating friction between their already heated bodies.

"I don't bitch and I am not panty less." She whispered while running the tip of her tongue along his upper lip in a feather light caress. His grip tightened over her bare cheek and his firm lips curled into an arrogant smile that told her that he disagreed and that he had the proof in the palm of his hand. She returned his smile as her delicate fingers languidly reached down to loop around his strong wrist, pushing his hand towards the small of her back.

His eyes widened when his questing fingers brushed across a single strand of beads that trailed down her tail bone and between the cleft of her cheeks. CENSORED

In all of their sessions he had never allowed himself to touch her there, to feel her moist heat, though his fantasies always urged him too. Now he knew why she had been aroused while they walked here. CENSORED She braced her hands on his shoulders, digging her sharp kittenish claws into his flesh and as her mouth drifted closer to his she allowed her soft moan of desire to flow from her lips to his.

As her body shivered with want, Vegeta felt a thrill of power course through his veins. His caress drove her to reckless heights of need that only he could fulfill. With every shudder of her body, with every gasp of breath, she told him that she wanted him, that she needed him. Her moans conveyed her craving for his touch and he wanted nothing more than to quench that thirst, but the faint voice of his shredded honor cried out against his selfish urges. Nothing good could become of a union of heat and passion between them and it would hurt them both in the end. Bulma felt the slight tensing of his body, heralding his retreat and it awoke her from the steamy haze that his touch had induced. Desperately, she scrambled to lure him back into her web of seduction.

"Sometimes a lack of control is incredibly desirable as well as flattering, My Prince. It lets a woman know that she is wanted, that she is the only one that can fulfill her man's cravings." Her words so similar to his thoughts set his blood afire, causing him to burn from the inside out. He wanted to give her what her body cried out for, the pleasure of his mouth against her flesh. Unable to resist her siren allure any longer he dipped his head down to trace the path her finger had made earlier on her breast bone with his tongue. Bulma's hands buried themselves in his thick spikes as she leaned back over his arm that encircled her waist, surrendering more of her satin skin to him. He nudged away the sheer material, licking his way to the harden pearl of her nipple.

"Hey Bulma!" Facie, her head chemist shouted with excitement, unable to see into the dark shadows, where Bulma and Vegeta sat. He jerked his head away from his feast scowling while Bulma twisted around to look at the woman. She was so close to obtaining her ultimate goal and frustration twisted through her at being interrupted.

"Come dance with us." The woman pranced up to the couple, dragging Bulma off Vegeta's lap, causing him to growl warningly. He should have viewed the interruption as divine intervention, but instead he felt as though the imps of hell were mocking him. Bulma frowned down at him before getting up reluctantly to follow the intoxicated woman out onto the dance floor. She would have preferred to stay in the veiled world that her and Vegeta had created together, but she understood the importance of showing her employees that she was hale and hearty, especially after the events of the past couple of days. She paused only to snatch up a beverage, taking a huge gulp, before walking out under the colored lights.

She, Facie, Delia and a group of other woman, gathered around in a circle, taking great delight in dancing unhindered. Bulma realized that the other woman, were female warriors on the base, but she almost didn't recognize them with their feminine clothes. The laughed and talked as they grinded under the hot lights, enjoying the beat of the music and the slightly euphoric feeling from the alcohol. She danced for what seemed like hours, stopping only to grab more to drink and to wave at Vegeta who watched silently from the shadows.

Raditz disgruntled with the amount of female attention that he was getting and the slight frowns coming from Delia, decided to move closer to Vegeta, knowing that would provide him with some respite. He sat in a chair next to his prince, his long legs stretched out before him, staring at Delia, who danced with the throng of woman out on the floor. He was feeling mellow from the many drinks that he had and his tongue loosened up more than was normal for the handsome warrior.

"I tried to turn her away. It would be better that way." He stared down into the depths of his cup frowning at his inability to deny the beautiful creature before him. Vegeta cocked an eye at him, without loosing sight of his own enchantress. Raditz glanced back up to the dance floor, unwilling to let Delia out of his sight for more than a few seconds.

"Instead I ended up holding her all night long and we didn't even do anything. We just slept while we were wrapped around each other……It was nice." Raditz's words were softly spoken, but they still held Vegeta's complete attention. As long as he had known Raditz he had never just held a woman for comfort. His goal was always to get them naked and writhing in as less time as possible.

"Like I give a shit. Go bother Nappa or something." Vegeta didn't understand why the man felt the need to open up to him and frankly it made him uncomfortable. Vegeta tipped his head back to take a swallow of his ale when the man next to him uttered something that nearly caused the prince to choke on his drink.

"I think I love her." Raditz was staring so intently at Delia that Vegeta wasn't certain if he realized what he had just said. He had muttered the words so quietly that only a Saiyan would have been able to hear them. Before Vegeta could respond to his comment, Delia walked off the dance floor and Raditz stood, waiting for her to approach him. She flashed the tall warrior a brilliant smile, while taking his hand to lead him away. Vegeta stared after them, shaking his head in disbelief.

Love was something a Saiyan warrior did not feel. The only acceptable emotions were pride, anger and courage. To love someone was to accept a weakness into your heart and allow it to dominate you. Vegeta's eyes lingered on the woman, colored in shades of blue, laughing gaily on the dance floor. He would never agree that love was an obtainable emotion for him, but perhaps he could accept that he could feel a measure of fondness and definitely a large dose of lust.

While on the floor Bulma had talked to the gushing golden woman and listened in awe as the story of Delia's and Raditz's night together was revealed in detail to her. When she was done Delia looked up at Bulma, her lavender eyes shining with happiness, her skin practically shimmering with unvoiced yearning.

"What should I do Bulma?" The young woman asked, her natural uncertainty holding her back. A feline grin stretched across Bulma's porcelain features as she winked at Delia.

"What do you want to do?" Bulma's voice was a seductive purr that hit a cord in the repressed beautiful woman in front of her. Her pink lips curved into a replica of Bulma's cheshire grin, before she reached out and hugged her boss tightly, startlingly Bulma with such a show of affection. Before anymore could be said, the golden girl bounced off the floor and up to Raditz, leading him out of the cafeteria. Bulma smiled deviously before turning around to continue dancing.

Raditz warily followed his unwitting enchantress down the hall, stopping her before they reached the lift. She glowed with anticipation and he felt a quiver of answering desire in his stomach, but he pushed it away and replaced it with cold hard reason. He couldn't allow her to do anything that she may later regret.

"Delia, what are you doing?" He asked softly as he turned her to face him. Her eyes darted up to his before they dropped down to the center of his chest. Pink blossoms bloomed on her pale cheeks and her tongue darted out to wet her lips nervously.

"I…time is slipping away from us; I want to enjoy it while we still can." She whispered brokenly, her smooth brow creasing with unvoiced worry. He frowned down at her before reaching his fingers under her chin to tip up her face to his.

"We have plenty of time." His reassuring tone washed over her, but the lines in her brow only deepened and she shook her head slightly.

"No. Time is running out. Soon we will be separated." The strain in her eyes lent her words a desperate air and Raditz reacted involuntarily to them. His strong arms pulled her close, and his tail wrapped around her upper thigh possessively. He leaned down to smell fresh flower scent of her white gold hair.

"No one will take you from me." He snarled into her tresses as his arms tightened around her back. She slid her small gold dusted hands up his tan arms and over his shoulders to bury them into his thick ebony hair. Gently she pulled him down so her lips could brush over his, dipping her tongue shyly past his lips. Raditz couldn't contain his answering growl and it pained him when she pulled back to look up at him.

The doors to the lift slid open and without looking she began to back away onto the platform. She reached down and delicately laced her fingers around his sensitive tail that was slowly unfurling from her thigh as she moved away. With each step she took she ran her hand slowly down his tail, nearly causing his knees to buckle with pleasure. When she was inside the lift, the tip of his tail securely in her grasp she looked deep into his eyes and with the skill of a practiced courtesan she uttered her siren's call.

"Make love to me."

Her whispered words sent jolts of desire coursing through him and he barely resisted the urge to throw her down right there. Gathering up his iron control, he reined in his instincts to ravish her, but he knew within his heart that he would not deny her this one request.

With steady steps that belied his rampaging need he walked into the lift reaching out to wrap his arms around her. She cuddled into him, content that her wish would be granted that night, uncaring of the consequences the morning light would bring. They remained silent as they rode the lift neither able to untangle themselves from the other. Slowly they made their way back to Raditz's room and entered into a new level of mutual awareness.

Back in the cafeteria Bulma was still dancing but since she was in the group, no men would approach and eventually the other woman drifted off, leaving her alone. She was about to return to Vegeta when the throbbing drums to a sultry song, ignited a primal flame inside of her. Turning to face Vegeta, her eyes locked with his as she began to sway her hips in time to the music. Her world narrowed excluding everyone in the room, but him. The beat of the music hummed in her veins as her hands glided over her body like a lover's touch and she imagined that it was his questing fingers that were feeding the fire that was burning inside of her.

As the evening had pressed on Vegeta had almost been overwhelmed by the scent the onna was giving out. With every thrust of her hips in time with the music the beads she wore had brought her closer to climax. Always before her completion she would stop and stare at him from across the floor, allowing her body to cool before she began again. Now he watched memorized as she danced just for him, as if no one else was in the room.

She knew that she would never be able to voice the whispers of love that plagued heart. She wasn't sure how it had happened, or even if was truly love that she felt, she only knew that she did not want to be parted from him. He was rough, crude and wicked, but honorable in his own way, if that was even possible. All she knew was that when he was near the pain and fear from the outside world disappeared, and she felt a glimmer of happiness that she hadn't felt in years.

With a twist of her hips she turned her back on Vegeta and he watched as the golden chain danced across the crest of her ass, drawing his heated gaze to the slight dip. He wanted to run his tongue down the arch of her spine before dipping it into the crevice at her tailbone. He desperately reminded himself that no matter how much she teased, he could not take her as his own. She deserved more than to be cleaved to a monster such as him. She spun back around to face him, her small hand sliding down over her collar bone to rest in the valley between her breast while her other hand gathered the material of her skirt raising it even higher on her milky thighs.

He could see the gleam of sweat on her neck as tendrils of her teal hair curled around her face, with her eyes shut and her head dropped back on her shoulders, she looked like a woman being thoroughly pleasured. Vegeta growled like a caged animal, his hands clenching at his sides while he fought for control as she drove away all of his reason. He saw other men in the room stop and stare at her as she made love to herself on the dance floor. He knew that he would either have to take her out of the there or he would end up having to kill every male on the base for looking at her. Oddly he would prefer to do the latter if it meant that he could sit there all night and watch her as she danced only for him. Her fingers crept up her thigh, drawing closer to her center and he felt the last vestiges of his discipline break away, stampeding over the edge of reason.

He leapt up from his chair stalking up to her like a sleek panther on the prowl. His fingers wrapped around her fragile arm, pulling her up against his chest as his searing onyx eyes glaring down at her. Her lips parted, her breasts heaving as her clear blue eyes locked with his, looking deep inside of him until she touched his soul. He felt the animal inside of him growl in answer to the lust he saw etched across her face. He was struck with the insane desire to kill everyone in the room so he could throw her down and ravish her without interruption. Hissing with suppressed longing he dragged her from the dinning hall and away from the lustful gazes of the other men.


	18. Passion's Captives

Disclaimer: Ahem, if I owned DBZ I would have made sure that the episodes had more adult content, cough.

A/N: Pretty much pointless lemon, you've been warned. Looks over at her unsuspecting husband However I haven't warned my lover wicked smirk but I'm sure he is going to find out soon enough.

This chapter has been edited to meet with guidelines. You can visit my website for the complete chapter as well as all the other stories that will never be posted here. Also you can visit mediaminer where I'm listed under the pen name Temptingtemptation. Please visit and review.

Chapter Eighteen

Passion's Captives

Vegeta yanked her down the hallway and into the lift, before releasing his painful grip on her arm and shoving her lightly away from him.

"Are you trying to get every male on this base killed woman?" He hissed at her, his eyes flashing with anger and lust.

"What are you talking about Vegeta?" She questioned wide eyed, not sure what had gone wrong with their evening.

"That little 'dance' of yours had every man in the room panting after you." Just the thought of other men's eyes on her was making his blood boil. Unexpectedly, Bulma closed the gap between them, pressing her full breasts against his hard chest, trapping him against the wall.

"The only man that I want is you." Her words were a delicate caress over his lips and he could feel the erection that he was trying to hide become even harder at her declaration. How could he make her understand that he could not give in to her, that they must not allow lust to overtake them.

"Get off me woman." He pushed her away so he would not be tempted by the silken feel of her skin, but still he could not escape her scent. At his harsh words the lustful gleam in her eye dimmed and the sharp edge of suffering flittered across her features. She whirled away from him and he had to fight the urge to pull her back into his arms where she belonged.

"Fine go play in your precious piece of shit Gravity Room while I find someone who thinks I am attractive enough to fuck." She hissed scornfully while trying to tamp down her tears. His rejection hurt her more than she would ever let on. The only reason that he must not want her was because she wasn't pretty enough to suit him. All those heated looks and even hotter caresses must have been an act, because he really must find her disgusting if he was turning her away now. He was better at the game than she thought.

With a snarl Vegeta pushed himself off the wall, pressing the emergency stop button before spinning her around to trap her against the wall with his body. His coal black eyes glared down at her, banked flames of desire dancing in their shadows.

"I thought I told you; never tell me what to do woman and you WILL NOT find some other male to play your games with." His fury knew no bounds at her words. He would never let another man touch what he had claimed as his, even if he refused to take her completely. _Mine._ A greedy voice whispered in his head.

He leaned his weight on his hand by her head while he slid the other one up her smooth thigh, just barely dipping under the hem of her skirt. The proximity of his body sent her heart fluttering and she suddenly found it hard to breathe.

"What is that you want so badly woman?" He asked hoarsely, determined to find out what was driving her to such foolish heights. He flexed his hand before moving it further up her slender leg until it rested at the top of her thigh. She shivered as her breath hitched and in response his thumb stretched out to brush against the hard beads that were slick with her juices.

"I want you." She whispered up at him. She stayed impossibly still, not wanting to frighten him away with any awkward movements. She yearned to pull him down for one of his searing kisses that stole her sanity, but she knew that something important was happening inside of Vegeta. A war of lust and logic.

Her words sent a tremor of desire racing through his veins and a soft growl of possession vibrated in his chest. "Why ruin yourself for a night of pleasure with me, when you have such fancy toys to fulfill your needs." To prove his point, he rubbed his thumb over a rounded bead, pressing it against her swollen flower watching as her eyes became half-lidded and her breath quickened. He was desperate to know why this had become so important to her. Why someone as intelligent as her would insist on acting like he was a normal man, worthy of her presence.

"You, only you." She choked out while her hands reached out on their own accord to clench his shirt in her fists at his shoulders, using his solid body as an anchor as desire began to rage inside of her. She didn't understand why he was being so stubborn. She was the one taking a risk, not him. He could never express any depth of emotion that she might crave from him. While this night might be the most meaningful experience of her life, it would be nothing more than momentary liaison to him. In the morning he would probably retreat to his gravity room without a word and would more than likely never mention the incident again. The hard light of reality made no difference to the torrential emotions that stormed inside of her, she wanted Vegeta and no other.

CENSOREDHer words made his chest clench and something sparked deep inside of him, in a place that he thought had long been dead. He had to know why she chose him, why now.

"Why?" He asked the burning question, needing an answer more desperately than he needed air to breathe. "Do you really want to wake up tomorrow knowing that you took a monster to your bed?"

Bulma could barely spit out one word much less string a sentence together while his fingers teased her inner walls, but need and desperation drove her forward, forcing her to passionately state her case. "Why do you speak to me of tomorrow? Don't you see that's the reason why today is so important? Tomorrow you could be sent away on another mission that you may not return from. Tomorrow someone may actually succeed in killing me."

She continued on ignoring his growl while hopelessly trying to form words that would accurately express her near panic of the future as his fingers moved inside of her, distracting her from her purpose.

"The future is full of what ifs and maybes, but one thing is for certain, whether or not you become Emperor or if I die, in the end we will be separated. So you see My Prince, right now is all we have because the only thing keeping us apart are a few scraps of cloth."

At the end of her impassioned plea she pressed her petal soft lips against his unyielding ones. She had poured her heart out to the stoic man before her, now it was up to him to make the next move.

Her words tugged at him, and he felt an awakening emotion deep inside that he didn't know how to name. He knew it was wrong, but he could not deny himself any longer. Once he had defeated Frieza he promised to let her go. He would send her away to her perfect little world she had picked out for herself and let her go on with her life. He would rule the universe from a lonely throne, knowing only a fleeting moment of happiness, but it would be more than he had ever tasted in his lifetime.

His lips crashed against hers, CENSORED He held her tight as he unwound his tail from his waist to push the button on the lift once again. She trembled in his arms as they waited for their floor and when the doors slid open he threw her over his shoulder to stride into the lab.

He set her down in the living room, just before the door to the bedroom and stepped back to pin her there with his piercing raven eyes. He gathered his tattered cloak of nobility around him one last time as he gave her a second chance to escape unscathed. "Here is your chance Bulma, leave now and you will stay untainted." If she told him to leave, he would turn on his heel and retreat to the GR, become stronger and defeat Frieza so she may live in peace.

He stood across from her so defiant, so proud, but she could see his pain in his eyes. She understood now why he always pulled away from her. Deep down, though he would never admit it, he hated the monster that he was. Forced to kill millions and to serve a tyrant, he was engulfed in feelings of unworthiness. Never in his entire lifetime had anyone ever extended a hand of friendship to him or uttered words of love. He was revered and feared, but never accepted for who he was.

She hooked her thumbs under the thin straps of her gown, pulling them away so the dress slid slowly off her body,CENSORED It gathered at her hips and with a twist it fluttered to the floor in a pool of shimmering blue. She stood before him decorated in glittering gold and ice. The necklace dripped down between her breasts to sway over her belly button. The "panties" were nothing more than a band of gold lace that were slung low across her hips and it had a single strand of luminescent pearls CESORED Her dainty feet were decorated in strappy gold heels, lending her extra height.

"No one has ever accused me of being pure, Vegeta." She turned her back to him, allowing the strand of gold to dance along her back alluringly before glancing over her shoulder in invitation. With a graceful dip of her hips she sauntered into the bedroom, confident that her soon to be lover would follow closely behind.

Vegeta's breath hitched in his chest as he was led helplessly by the beautiful woman into the bedroom. Even if he had a choice right now, he couldn't turn away. The thought of leaving her brought him physical pain. With a strong hand he stopped her in the middle of the room, towering over her from behind.

CENSORED! GEE YOU THINK. LOTS OF STORYLINE GONE.

He stretched his body over hers, sliding his arms under her shoulders and cradling her head in his large palms. He fitted his body against hers while he gazed into her passion dilated eyes. He had never seen a more beautiful sight in all of his years than Bulma in the throes of bliss. He never wanted to leave her. If he had the power to stop time like that frog Guldo, he would have held his breath until he died, if it meant staying in her arms forever.

Her hands slid up his arms, reveling in the hard feel of his muscles under his velvet skin. She gazed up into his onyx eyes, unable to fathom the look that he was giving her. If she didn't know better she would have thought he was expressing devotion or perhaps even love? She brushed the thought away as finally he gifted her with one of his delicious kisses that she had grown to adore so much.

CENSORED

His glittering eyes stared down into her wide cerulean eyes, framed by thick lashes. There was an emotion glinting in their depths that he was hard pressed to name. A bolt of fear and longing raced down his spine, when he recognized that it may be love. Her eyes glowed with love for him and his heart clenched with the painful sensation that knowledge caused inside of him. Unable to face her, he chose the path of a coward and he dropped his head to capture her lips searing kiss. His tongue invaded her mouth, thrusting into her hot depths, mimicking the rhythm of his hips.

Her crystal eyes clouded with sorrow before they drifted closed as she surrendered to his masterful kiss. Her heart ached with the certainty that he would never love her the way she loved him. She wanted desperately to wrap her entire body around his, to cocoon him in a nest of acceptance and devotion. She wished for once he would stop being the cold warrior that rejected all overtures of affection and instead would allow himself to just be a man. A man who loved a woman.

CENSORED

Gently he rolled them over so they lay properly on the bed with her on top. He kept himself nestled deep inside of her and when she turned her head to smile languidly down at him, she saw his wicked smirk but there was more than that in his gaze, something he could no longer hide from her. Bulma knew that it couldn't be love that heated his eyes, but she couldn't help but to comfort herself with the thought that it might be affection. He began to move within her and as her eyes drifted closed with pleasure she grasped the notion that the mighty Saiyan prince beneath her genuinely cared for her, close to her heart.

Many hours later found a well sated Bulma draped over Vegeta's masculine chest, running her fingers over a particularly nasty scar. He sat unmoving beneath her one hand under his head, his eyes were closed but she knew he was alert.

"How did this happen?" She asked softly. One heavy lid slid open to look down at her before dropping closed again.

"I don't remember." He muttered with a slight shrug.

Her brow furrowed with confusion, if she had been so injured that it caused a ragged scar she would remember.

"What do you mean, you don't remember?" She quipped. She nearly rolled off his massive chest when he heaved a weary sigh.

"I have a lot of scars woman." She glanced at the skin she could see, verifying for herself that he did indeed have quite a few scars. It did nothing to distract from his natural good looks, in fact it seemed to enhance them.

"Oh." She muttered and she could practically feel him rolling his eyes at her. He moved beneath her, bringing his hands up to capture her hips in his palms.

"Get off me woman, I have to go train."

_Oh I don't think so._

She hauled herself up so she straddled him, pushing his shoulders down on the bed with her measly weight. She was almost confused when he let her pin him there, but quickly a triumphant smile lit her face.

_Looks like he wants to stay and play with me after all_.

"Move woman." He growled harshly, but she could see a flare of desire behind his eyes. He had been like a wild animal, fucking her with a single minded intensity of a starving man at a last meal. Absolutely insatiable. At one point she had padded off to the kitchen for water only to find herself draped over the back of the couch while Vegeta thrust powerfully into her from behind. She was quite surprised to see the hint of desire in his eyes, this close to dawn after so many hours of unceasing mind blowing pleasure.

"Oh, why do you have to be such a grumpy butt?" She pouted wickedly down at him, she almost laughed out loud when she saw the shock flash through his eyes, but she quickly tamped it down when she saw anger follow quickly on its heels.

"Woman, that reminds me. What were you thinking calling me hunny bunny on that holo recording you left on the bots that were guarding you?" His growl had deepened from his previously playful one to a much more menacing timber.

_Uh oh._

She lifted her hands off his shoulders, one trailing up to massage her neck behind her head. Her already flushed face deepened a shade darker and she looked distinctly uncomfortable.

"Oh that, well umm, the day that I recorded it, I was umm kinda irritated by you and I umm yah…." She stuttered, not really having a good answer that would satisfy him and keep her out of trouble. She could see him getting angrier, but the more she thought about it, the funnier she found it. She could just imagine the look on his face when he heard those words uttered to him. He grabbed her hips, intending on throwing her off of him and stalking into the GR when she lost her last vestiges of control.

Without warning she threw back her head, laughter tumbling out of her uncontrollably. Her long hair brushed over his bare thighs and his eyes were drawn to her jiggling breasts and the dancing sheen of the necklace that she still wore. Instead of throwing her off his hands tightened around her, holding her closer too him as the vibration of her laughter ricochet through his groin.

He felt an answering grin lift the corner of his lips as he watched her unabashed pleasure at his expense and he almost didn't realize it when his tail curled up over her thigh to languidly slide towards her core, but Bulma did.

Abruptly her laughter stopped when she felt something furry tickling her inner thigh, CENSORED

_What is he going to do with that? What can he do with it?_

Vegeta watched with amusement as Bulma stared with fascination at his tail. He smelled the change in her body the instant she noticed his tail and he couldn't suppress the wicked grin that flitted across his features. Gingerly she moved her hand towards the furry appendage, stopping a fraction away from touching it, her wide azure eyes darting up to his.

"Can I touch it?" Her voice quavered and her hand shook lightly. He could see the yearning in her eyes and he nodded that she may. Her eyes dropped down to look at his dark brown tail, her tongue poking out of the corner of her mouth as was her habit when she was concentrating on something. Lightly she trailed her fingers over the fur, barely even touching it, but it caused delicate shivers to course through his body. She looked up to make sure that she didn't hurt him, but he stared back impassively.

Emboldened she applied more pressure, stroking it like she would a cat, nearly making him purr. To distract her before she discovered his weakness, he inched the tip closer to her core causing her to freeze. Her hand hovered over him while she brought other index finger up to her full mouth to gently chew on her nail, pulling her lower lip down slightly, her complete attention riveted on what he was going to do next.

CENSORED

She collapsed onto his sweaty chest, cradling his spent shaft within her. As her breathing evened out she nuzzled against him, more content than she had ever been in years.

"I feel so safe in your arms." She murmured absently, a split second before her body stiffened with shock.

_Kami, did I just say that out loud?_

She waited with baited breath, hoping against hope that he hadn't heard her, knowing that he must have and that he would not be pleased with her uttering such rubbish. After a heartbeat or two had passed to her surprise he lifted his arms up to slide over her back. One hand delved deeply into her hair, holding her against his heart, while the other one braced her back. He squeezed her lightly before releasing her, allowing her to remain on top of him.

Shocked but happy, Bulma fell into a dreamless sleep, reveling in a sense of security that she hadn't felt since she was a child.

A/N: Again, about four or five pages were cut out, which you don't have to read. All you have to get out of this chapter is that in the space of one night they become closer. For one instant, they saw what their life could be if they could just span the difference between them.


	19. Hell's Bells

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ, if I did I would have made more saiyan hotties running around seducing women.

Chapter Nineteen

Hell's Bells

Bulma reached over the wide masculine chest, to beat unmercifully at the incessant beeping that was coming for the vicinity of her nightstand. She groped around for a minute, before finally finding the button to shut off the noise, only minimal awareness reminding her that it wasn't an alarm clock that was going off, but someone trying to contact her on the vid phone.

She sat up, pulling the blankets around her torso while she blurrily watched the wall at the foot of her bed slide apart to reveal a black screen. Instantly, Zarbon's handsome jade features filled the viewer and she blinked fuzzily as he started spewing words at her.

"Thank the Gods you answered! I have been trying to get a hold of you for days. Why haven't you been answering?" His stream of conversation was cut off by a menacing growl that was emanating from beside her, his emerald eyes widening with shock.

"Bulma, there's a monkey in your bed." He sputtered.

She glanced over to see Vegeta scowling furiously at the sight of Frieza's concubine.

_Wait, Frieza…_

Her head whipped around to pin Zarbon in place with implacable cobalt eyes.

"Zarbon, what are you doing in communication range? You are supposed to be on the other side of the universe with Frieza." She snapped, dread building in the base of her stomach.

"That's why I have been trying to contact you. We turned around and he wouldn't allow any outgoing transmissions from the ship. Bulma, we are ten minutes from the base." His pleading voice was laced with more than a fair dose of trepidation.

"What base?" Denial ripped through her and its companion fear followed close on its heels.

"Primus. We will be docking soon and Frieza is pissed. I don't know what you are doing down there, but you better clean it up quick. I have to go before he traces this." With a grimace of concern he disconnected the link, leaving a dumbfounded Bulma to stare at the blank screen.

"Woman."

When she didn't respond, Vegeta repeated himself this time with a not to gentle nudge to the ribs. At his prodding she flew into action, leaping of the bed to race over to the closet.

"Why is he here? There is no reason for him to come. What if he knows? What are we going to do?" Her voice rose to an uncomfortable, piercing pitch as she dug through her closet, throwing clothes behind her onto the bed.

"Woman, I doubt he is here because he knows of our plot." Vegeta hauled himself out of the line of fire, pulling on his uniform while eyeing the distraught woman.

"Why else would he be here? There is no reason for him to inconvenience himself by coming all the way out here." She hopped from one foot to the other as she ripped clothes from their hangers, ruining more than one outfit in the process. "Purple, I need something purple, he likes that color." She had pulled on her undergarments and was eyeing a lavender dress distastefully before discarding it behind her and diving back into the closet.

"Woman, you are overreacting for nothing. He is probably here because he found out that we are mates." Vegeta crossed his arms over his chest watching the woman with a sneer on his lips. She paused her rampaging to peer over her shoulder, frowning mightily at him.

"Why would that matter? I mean, he wouldn't care if I hooked up with some guy." Vegeta rolled his eyes at her before growling in response.

"The universe doesn't revolve around you, wench. As the Prince of All Saiyans, I am not allowed to take a mate. It would be undesirable for me to breed an heir." He looked away from her, scowling at the floor. She dropped the bundle of clothes that she had been holding and glared at him with disbelief.

"WHAT! Don't you think you should have mentioned that, you fool!" She screamed furiously. Before the last word left her lips, he was towering over her shaking with fury, but she refused to back down.

"I thought you knew, woman. After all, you are a _genius_ right? You know everything." He sneered mockingly at her, his obsidian eyes glassy and cold.

"I'm not omnipotent, you ass. It wasn't in your file." She hissed right back unafraid of his ire. They glared at each other for a heartbeat, before realization lit Bulma's eyes.

"Kami, the GR." As she bounded out of the room in her underwear, she tripped over a pile of clothes and slid into the door jam with a thud, causing Vegeta to grimace. She rebounded off the wall without pausing and raced through the living room to the foyer. Vegeta followed and watched as she shuffled through her desk drawer to pull out a capsule and another object that he couldn't make out. Quickly she encapsulated her workstation then the regeneration tank, before opening the door to the GR and encapsulating that as well.

She popped the capsule that she had pulled out of the desk and with a poof of smoke; a work lab appeared in the recently evacuated room that had held the GR. Grasping the three capsules close to her chest, she went back into the bedroom to lock them in the hidden safe under her chair. She was just straightening when the warning sirens went off advising the inhabitants of the base that someone important had just docked.

She turned, her eyes locking with Vegeta's and she couldn't suppress the shudder that ran through her body. Her wide eyes filled with shadows and her lips trembled as she could barely contain the fear that welled up inside of her. Vegeta was filled with the awkward urge to reach out and hold her, to reassure her, but he couldn't bring himself to display such an obvious sign of weakness. So in compromise he moved to stand in front of her instead.

"I'm afraid." She whispered so quietly that the secret could only be heard between the two of them.

"Don't be foolish woman. Soon I will be strong enough to defeat him." He huffed gruffly down at her. Her cerulean eyes, clenched closed for a moment before she opened them again. How would she ever be able to explain to this stoic man the dread she felt in the pit of her stomach at the mere mention of the tyrant's name. He was too proud to recognize the meaning of fear. How she wished she could borrow his strength or take shelter in his strong arms, but she knew that was unobtainable.

"Soon, but not right now." Despair was evident in her quiet words and he grimaced at the truth in them. All the long hours he had put in the in the Gravity Room to get stronger, and still he was a weakling compared to his "master." Now, they would stand before their enemy and face his wrath and he could do nothing to make sure that the woman would remain safe.

"I'm so sorry Vegeta." A tear escaped her leaving a silvery trail down her ivory cheek, causing his gut to tighten. Confused he cocked an eyebrow and reached up a gloved hand to gently wipe it away. He didn't know why the sight of her tears affected him so adversely.

"For what, woman?" Before she could answer he felt a prick in his thigh and he looked down to see her injecting a familiar green fluid into him. He looked back up at her incredulously, taking in her sorrow filled gaze. White-hot anger at her betrayal piped through him and instinctively he brought back his hand to slap her away from him. Before he could follow through he felt the steel clamps bind his strength, leaching his power out of his body, dropping him to his knees under the intensity of the pain. She backed away cautiously and began to speak, her watery voice piercing the haze of agony.

"I am so sorry, please forgive me, but there is no other way. We can't take the risk of Frieza seeing how great your power has grown." Her voice was pleading for understanding, but his rage at her only grew.

"I could have suppressed it." He rasped out, still unable to rise.

"I know, and you would have fooled a normal scouter, but Frieza possess a prototype scanner that I made before coming here. The scanner would be able read you power rating and the serum is the only way to be sure." He surged to his feet when the pain faded and she took a step back as he glared at her venomously. She swallowed, fully aware that even with his power checked he could easily kill her.

"You will give me the antidote right now." He demanded, advancing on her until he had her backed up against the wall.

"I don't have any here." Her heart pounded and she felt like some helpless prey cowering from a dangerous predator.

"You are lying to me." He hissed, the sharp edge of her faithlessness cutting deeply into his heart. He was rife with disappointment at her disregard for his pride, for his strength. She of all people should have believed in him and now she had stolen his ability to protect himself.

_To protect her._

"I am not lying when I say I don't have any here." She stressed the last word, trying not to shrink against the wall with fear, knowing that would only anger him more.

"I will not forgive you." His voice was dangerously flat causing shivers to shoot down her spine. He could die today and he would do so as a pathetic mewling weakling, unable to even wave his badge of honor, his strength, in the face of his enemy.

"I know." She uttered remorsefully. Her heart felt like it was being ripped from her chest. She knew know how Magin had felt when he saw his beating organ in Vegeta's dripping hand, but she knew that the prince hadn't been the one to cause her such pain. She had brought this on herself, but for all the personal torment her actions caused her she would do it again. She would sacrifice anything to keep Vegeta alive and safe. Someday he would be her savior even if he wasn't doing it for her anymore.

He shot her one last dark look before turning away to stalk out of their quarters and out of her life. Even if they did survive this day, her and Vegeta would never be able reclaim the brief happiness they had felt only hours before. Bulma allowed a second tear to fall before choking them back. Wordlessly she turned back to her closet, regret etched deeply in her heart.

Vegeta and Bulma knelt side by side in the center of the receiving room on Frieza's massive ship, before the raised dais. Vegeta snuck a look at Bulma from the corner of his eye, taking in the plumb skirt that pooled around her becomingly. She sat cool and withdrawn, unlike he had ever seen her before. Her face was pale and alarmingly blank, like a parchment waiting to receive the ink that would transform it.

Vegeta's palms itched with the urge to reach out and strangle the life from her, while at the same time his heart constricted in response to the fear he knew she was feeling right now. He scanned the room, noting that the only other people in the room besides themselves were Frieza's royal guards and Nappa and Raditz who stood at the back of the room.

A side door opened and Vegeta watched in fascination as Bulma transformed into another woman at the sight of the imposing Ice-jinn. Her pleased smile lit up her face and her happiness ebbed off of her in sickening waves. Her synthetic pleasure was so realistic that he doubted anyone but he knew that it was faked. When Frieza's pale eyes met hers she blushed prettily and Vegeta nearly snorted with disgust.

_The only woman I ever met that can blush on cue._

Frieza sat himself on the throne and Zarbon took his place behind the chair. Vegeta curiously eyed the verdant courtesan slash bodyguard. Obviously he was a spy for Bulma, but he gave no hint of their earlier conversation and only looked down at them disdainfully. He was a man who knew how to play the game as expertly as the Onna, or else he would have been dead by now. Bulma was the first to speak, her lilting voice echoing in the cathedral like room.

"To what do we owe the honor of your exalted presence." She gushed while gazing adoringly up at the lizard. Frieza bared his teeth in a parody of a smile while motioning her closer to him. Gracefully she rose up off the floor, only to settle herself again at his knee, leaning into him as he reached down to pat her on the head like a prized pet.

"Do I need a reason to visit my precious genius?" He purred down at her, while his tail entwined behind her neck, before dipping the tip into the valley of her breasts, his cold reptilian eyes watching Vegeta for any reaction. The prince remained outwardly impassive, but inside he boiled with anger at seeing his enemy fondle his traitorous mate.

"Of course not My Lord, but I find it hard to believe that you would travel this far to see me." She fluttered her eyes at him while smiling beguilingly up at him. Vegeta could not believe what he was seeing, even with all of her talk of playing games, he never imagined her stooping so low.

"You are right my pet. I am here because of some nasty rumors I overheard, one being your little relationship with the monkey." He caressed her without pause as his voice dropping a decibel, his displeasure clear. She furrowed her brows, a slightly confused look clouding her beautiful face.

"You are here because I took a lover to entertain me on this backwater base?" Her tone showed a hint of disbelief and gave away nothing of her inner thoughts. Frieza chuckled fondly down at her and she beamed in response.

"No my dear, I am not here because of you. The problem is that the monkey knew better than to take a lover." Vegeta struggled to remain silent, the urge to mock the woman and say 'I told you so' eating at him.

"Oh." Her full bottom lip jutted forward into a perfect pout, a moment before her lips transformed into an insinuating smile. "Well that wasn't his fault. I decided that I wanted him and I haven't met a man yet that can deny me." As she spoke her fingers stroked the tip of the Ice-jinn's tail suggestively. Vegeta fought back the instinctive urge to growl at her wanton behavior while amazed at the same time at the way she attempted to control the conversation.

Frieza chuckled again while responding. "That's very true my dear and that would have been fine, but he claimed you as his mate by Saiyan law and that just can't be allowed." Frieza twirled one of her teal locks around his scaly claw while he flicked his tail against her fingers. She pouted again before replying.

"Oh that." She shrugged dismissively. "What do I care about some ancient law of a dead race? I don't view it as the least bit binding."

Frieza glanced back up at Vegeta his eyes glinting maliciously.

"Did you hear that monkey prince? By biting her so gruesomely in front of all those men you vowed to protect her, to fight to the death for her and her offspring, and she dismisses the ritual out of hand. How do you feel about that?" Vegeta fought valiantly to control his anger. He wanted to leap up, proclaiming her as his mate while he ripped the Ice-jinn's scaly claws off of her, but reason intervened and he shrugged following Bulma's lead.

"I only took her because I needed a willing whore and I didn't want any other males pawing at her, taking up her time when I wanted her. I was not careless with my seed, she will not breed." He said the words coldly, but his stomach sank with the realization that he had been anything but careful last night during their passionate coupling.

"Beast." She sneered while tossing her head in disdain, reacting to his use of the word whore for the benefit of the tyrant, though he did see a flash of pride for him skitter across her face. She was pleased with him for entering into the game of words.

Frieza eyed them both with a calculating gleam in his eye. He was impressed that Bulma had managed to have tamed the wild Saiyan, at least partially. He never thought he would see the day that the Prince would rein in his ever-rampant pride and think before he spoke. "Well it seems you have an answer for everything." He praised coyly, before unleashing his true purpose. "So why don't you tell me about the Gravity Room that you built." Frieza's tail coiled loosely around Bulma's neck and the unspoken threat was loud and clear to the two co-conspirators. Vegeta felt the oxygen leave the room while he fought to keep his emotionless mask in place but without missing a beat, Bulma blinked up at the Emperor before replying.

"What about it My Lord? It's still in the prototype stage, I have Vegeta testing it out for me, until I am certain that it is ready for you." Her voice was pure and clear, without a hint of deception tainting its dulcet tones. Frieza laughed heartily while he reached down to pull Bulma up onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her. Vegeta shifted forward a fraction before he caught himself and froze into place. He was relieved when he saw that Frieza was too preoccupied with Bulma to notice his slip in control.

"Do you know why I adore you so, my precious genius?" He asked while tapping her on the nose like she was an errant child. At a loss for words for the first time she merely shook her head that she did not know.

"Because you are such the practiced deceiver. Your lies are beautifully crafted and carried off with perfection. It makes me swell with pride that you learned so much while under my care." With a snap of his fingers the side door opened to reveal a guard leading a dejected figure into the light. With an ill-concealed gasp, Bulma gaped with shock as she watched Delia move forward to stand beside the throne, her face averted in shame.

Frieza's tail lazily wound around the woman's thigh edging her closer so she was forced to sit on the armrest of his chair, while he grinned evilly to everyone in the room.

"You see Bulma, I have known for some time about your spy ring, but I let it continue, because frankly your organization is much more efficient than the crown's. Instead I planted Delia into your little group so she could glean bits of information and pass it on to my own espionage team." His claws raked over Delia's stomach lustily while he explained the extent of his cruelty.

Bulma stared at the woman aghast, desperately trying to rationalize what Frieza was saying. She thought back when she had first met Delia, cowering under the lustful stares of the men at the palace. Bulma instinctively came to the weaker woman's rescue and after finding out that she had some skill with electronics she had offered Delia a job in her lab. After that it seemed like the shy woman was always around and Bulma had taken her in without a second thought, but now that the ruse was uncovered, she could not believe her own foolishness.

"You see, I originally took her to be my concubine, but when I found out that she had a talent for hacking computers I decided to put her to more practical use, spying on you. Imagine my surprise when she reported to me that you planned to overthrow me, by helping Prince Vegeta to become strong enough to defeat me." He hissed as he tangled his hand in Bulma's hair, pulling her head back so he could look down at her stricken features.

As Frieza spoke, Delia shifted slightly so she could view the back of the room from under the cover of her bangs. She watched the myriad of emotions that flittered across Raditz's face, ranging from disbelief to rage. His eyes met hers through the sheer veil of her hair she saw him sneer a single word. _Bitch._ Her head dropped down even further as she turned away, confident that in the end he really did hate her like she said he would.

Desperate to save herself and Vegeta, Bulma stuttered brokenly.

"I don't…" She was cut off by the imposing Ice-jinn's hiss of anger.

"Don't bother Bulma, she broke into your private computer and downloaded all the files. I know all about your little plot and I am very disappointed in you." He shoved her off his lap and she landed in a heap at his feet. Her frightened eyes darted up to lock onto Vegeta who had sat stunned during the entire exchange. He read the unspoken command in her eyes, for him to remain calm and not do anything rash. He didn't bother to hide his snort of disdain, he knew that he needed to watch how it was going to play out before he reacted to the situation.

"So Delia dear, tell us what power rating Vegeta is at now." The Emperor was fondling the golden girl shamelessly now, but she remained still, reverting to the extroverted woman that Bulma had first met. Delia's eyes flicked to the side and Bulma followed her line of sight, latching onto Raditz's form. He was visibly stricken, but before her very eyes he gathered up his wayward emotions and a cold mask settled on his features as his smoldering gaze pinned Delia to the spot.

"Unfortunately, the firewalls protecting the files on Prince Vegeta's power rating were too complex for me to unravel." She said timidly as she stared fixedly at the floor.

Bulma barely concealed her shock. There were no firewalls once you hacked into her computer. Once in you had free range of all the files that were on the hard drive. Delia was lying through her teeth, but why? Frieza shrugged nonchalantly, dragging Bulma's attention from the golden woman to concentrate on the tyrant.

"No matter, we have other ways to tell such things, don't we Bulma?" For emphasis he kicked her in the ribs sending her sliding across the floor next to Vegeta. Pain laced through her side, but she only grunted, biting back her instinctive yelp. Vegeta made no move to help, but instead watched the tyrant steadily trying to gage his next move.

"Zarbon, if you would." The jade tinted man stepped around, attaching a visor to his face. It was similar to the scouter that Vegeta wore on missions, but it had a few buttons that he didn't recognize. Zarbon stood in front of Vegeta, who glared up at him, watching as symbols flashed across the green rectangle over the man's left eye. Bulma stared down at the floor afraid that she would give something away on her face. She prayed that Vegeta wouldn't lose his temper at the blatant reminder of her transgression against him. Silently she thanked Kami that she had injected him with the serum. If she hadn't this would have been their final moments.

"Don't bother trying to hide your power Prince. That ingenious device will still be able to calculate it. Our little Bulma is such the brilliant inventor." Frieza cackled in delight as he watched Vegeta tense under Zarbon's scrutiny.

Zarbon sneered down at Vegeta before turning to face his lord. "His power rating is barely above Jeice's." He laughed condescendingly as he delivered the news and Vegeta growled at the man in warning. Frieza's lips quirked with amusement as he looked down at the seditious couple, who knelt before him.

"Is that all? How disappointing, I expected better out of the both of you." Vegeta opened his mouth to deliver a scathing reply but Bulma interrupted him loudly as she knelt humbly before the Ice-jinn.

"I beg your forgiveness, Your Highness. I behaved foolishly and arrogantly. I had begun to believe myself superior and I wanted to test myself by trying to overthrow the most powerful being in the universe. Though I knew that it would be impossible, I was determined to prove my worth. So I concocted this plan and lured the prince into helping me by promising him that he would become stronger. Once his strength equaled yours I intended on prodding him into a fight with you. Please believe me when I tell you that he had no idea what I was up too and his only crime was allowing himself to be duped by an intelligent and beautiful woman." She crawled on her hands and knees towards the Emperor as she spoke, her humility bared to the world as she begged for Vegeta's life.

The thin thread of control that kept Vegeta in check up until now snapped. "Liar! I am the Prince of All Saiyans, not some female's lap dog. How dare you say such things, you bitch." Vegeta snarled angrily, the rage at her words rippling through him. He was unmanned and dishonored by her actions for the last time. He would not have his mate on her hands and knees spewing such disgusting lies to his greatest enemy. He reached out to drag her back to him to punish her for her abominable words, but Zarbon lashed out, dropping him back down to the floor with a vicious right hook to the jaw. Frieza laughed gaily at the Prince's fury, his enjoyment visible to everyone.

"Oh prince, I believe her words to be one hundred percent true. It sounds so like her to use a man without his knowledge and for that I take pity on you." Frieza snickers died down as he leaned forward to pass sentence on the traitors, but Vegeta didn't know when to stay quiet.

"I will be stronger than you some day, Frieza. I will have my revenge for my race, for my family and for my planet. I will take your head and display it on the wall above my throne. The throne that I will sit upon after I destroy you." Vegeta spat vengefully, but almost choked on his tongue when he saw Bulma cuddle up closer to the lizard a mocking smile on her lips. As Vegeta made his vows of vengeance, Bulma keen mind had raced for a solution to keep him alive. The only answer she found was to belittle him and make him less of a threat in the Emperor's eyes.

"See, My Lord, he is nothing but a barbarian, look how he behaves on your own ship. He was perfect for my experiment, all muscle and no brains. It was an easy matter to twist him to my will." Frieza looked down at her with an amused snort.

"I know my dear, you were always too smart for your own good. Though Vegeta was probably was a poor choice, he is much too unpredictable." Frieza continued to snicker as he watched Vegeta who was practically frothing at the mouth at the extent of the insults being hurled at him by his own mate. He surged up from the floor, calling on his bound power, desperately trying to snap the bands that held it in check. With a scream of fury he charged the Ice-jinn, intending on putting an end to this farce for once and for all.

With a sparkle of green light, Zarbon appeared before the Prince, slamming his fist into his chest, tossing him back several feet. With a nod of his regal head, Frieza nodded to his elite guard to advance on Vegeta. Nappa and Raditz stepped forward to assist their Prince, but the guards behind them grabbed them by their tails dropping them to their knees and with strong hands on the back of their necks, the guards pushed their foreheads to the ground in mock submission to the Emperor. With his strength severely restricted Vegeta had to rely on skill to defeat the men, he battled fiercely and he injured many of the guard, but in the end they were too strong and too many.

He lay battered and bleeding on the floor, helpless rage welling up inside of him. The beating had broken his body but not his spirit, leaving him to glare up at the Emperor and the two women who graced his arms. He growled angrily while his dark eyes made promises of retribution, not only for the Ice-jinn but for the woman he had trusted as well.

"Tsk Tsk, Vegeta. Your strength is pathetic at best and you are no threat to the crown and now you are even further weakened, hindering your chances for redemption. I will allow you to live, but first you must survive your next mission. I am sending you to PX3, they have very high power levels there and if you and your men manage to defeat them then you may come back and resume your duties to me." With a wave of his hand, Frieza coolly dismissed Vegeta from his sight. Vegeta felt strong hands loop around his arms as he was pulled up off the cold marble floor. He struggled in vain, rage turning his face purple as he was dragged out of the room, like his father had been so many years ago.

"I will kill you. I am the Prince of All Saiyans. I am the strongest in the universe." He screamed, fury blinding his reason.

Frieza's laughter followed him out into the hall and the last thing Vegeta saw was Bulma's huge cerulean eyes as she watched him go, the evil ice-jinn's claws wrapped in her teal hair as she was hauled up into his lap once again.

Once outside the door he ceased to struggle and he shrugged the men's hands off him, breathing evenly to calm himself as he walked proudly down the hall to the docking bay, Nappa and Raditz trailing silently behind. He brutally told himself that the woman's fate was none of his concern and that he was lucky that he escaped the interview alive and without detection, though he would have sold his double damned soul for the chance to have faced the monster with all of his power intact.

_You are alive only because she drugged you_.

He pushed the voice away, the anger and hurt inside too fresh to examine closely as he strode down the hall looking neither left nor right. They were navigating down a particularly narrow corridor when a man walking towards him, caught his eye and held it. Vegeta recognized him instantly as the man who had bumped into Bulma on their way to the dance last night. To Vegeta's astonishment he watched as the man tripped on his feet again and fumbled into him. Vegeta reached out, intending to slam the man against the wall with deadly force, but was surprised when he felt a smooth, small cylinder being slid into his palm.

Vegeta's agile mind reasoned that he was being passed information and he quickly concealed the capsule in his fist while pushing the man violently away before striding on without looking back. He realized belatedly that the man had also passed information to Bulma last night and instead of sticking her hand into her purse to pull out lipstick she was actually dropping something into the bag.

_What a sly little minx._

By the time he had reached the docking bay, Vegeta's anger had cooled enough to view the past few minutes rationally. The woman had purposely pushed him into a rage to make him look like a fool in front of Frieza, so the powerful Ice-jinn wouldn't be able to see the real threat. She had efficiently removed him from the base and out of the scaly reach of the Emperor, buying him more time to become stronger.

_But at what cost?_

Bulma was still in the throne room with the tyrant, alone and unprotected. Vegeta shook away the concern he felt budding inside of him. After seeing her wrap Frieza around her finger, he was confident she would be fine in the end. His anger at her was still unabated even after knowing her reasons for her actions and he would not be able to forgive her for her transgressions against him today. Even if she did save his life, she had no right to strip away his pride before his enemy.

He pried open the doors to his pod, seating himself in his chair. He watched impassively as the royal guard typed in the coordinates to his destination, sneering as the man backed away to close the lid. He smelled the sleep aid being released into the air and his last thoughts before drifting off to sleep were of the woman and what was going to happen to her.

"Well my little pet, what are we going to do with you?" Frieza whispered while he caressed her face tenderly. Delia was still perched on the armrest, looking even more depressed since Raditz had left the room. Bulma could tell that she had completely submerged herself in her own world to escape her harsh reality. Bulma licked her lips, her mouth suddenly dry. Her brilliant mind raced, but try as she might, she could think of no solution to her problem.

"Don't look so scared my sweet. I am not going to hurt you. In fact, I want to make sure you are well taken care of. Do you think I would waste your talents in death? Hmm? You are going to go back to Capital World with me, and you are going to put that little network of yours at my personal disposal." He clucked her under the chin. "You are going to my little spy. Won't that be nice?" His white teeth glinted dangerously and Bulma could see the lust shining in his pale eyes, as his hand slide down her bodice to squeeze her breast painfully. Her eyes wide, she nodded that she thought that was a wonderful idea, before she retreated to her own shelter as the Emperor led the two women to his rooms.


	20. Despair

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ, which is a pity cause I could really use the money.

Chapter Twenty

Despair

Vegeta slid face first into the cold cavern, out of the icy tube that he had launched himself into in order to escape his eminent death. Following closely on his heels was Raditz's unconscious body that fell to a heap onto the ground with a heavy thud. Vegeta barely had time to kick him aside before Nappa tumbled out of the same hole.

Vegeta sighed deeply as he moved further into the cave, drawn by the tinkling of dripping water. His Saiyan eyesight allowed him to navigate, but the darkness was so complete that even he could only make out shadows. Behind him he heard a soft rustling and then a quick snap before the room flooded with a sputtering red glow.

Vegeta glanced over his shoulder to see Nappa holding up a flare, the orange glare casting him in a sardonic light. Looking ahead Vegeta could see a clear pool of water cradled in a basin of ice. Great crystals reflected the flare, lighting every corner of the glacial cave. With a grimace of disgust Vegeta was able to ascertain that there was no other exit from the glittering room. He knelt down by the pool, splashing the crisp water onto his face, washing away the blood that coated him. He watched the swirl of scarlet, taint the crystal purity of the clear water while trying to stifle the ache of despair that was creeping into his heart. He walked over to the nearest wall and with a tired sigh he slid down to sit on the ground. He swiped his forearm over his eyes to clear away the damp moisture that obscured his vision before looping his arms over his raised knees.

When Vegeta had spied the planet they were being sent to as punishment for daring to rise up against their repugnant lizard Master, he had shuddered as fingers of dread plucked at his spine. It hung, suspended in space, a frozen ball of ice that was bright and luminous like a shimmering pearl. Scans confirmed the temperature to be well below zero with the added wind sheer at a gusty seventy mph. At first glance it seemed as though nothing could survive on the frozen wasteland, but closer inspection uncovered a network of caves beneath the surface that housed some very large, white, furry beasts. The inhabitants of the planet were nothing more than dumb animals that in order to survive the harsh climate had developed an inordinate amount of strength and endurance.

It had taken them two weeks to reach their destination and they wanted nothing more than to finish their job quickly and be on their way. After landing they had entered the frosty caves, eager to escape the bone chilling cold of the surface. The first wave of creatures had been laughably weak compared to Vegeta's fully restored strength. Sure that the strongest of the beasts would live near the entrances, since the conditions were harsher, the Saiyans had ruthlessly pushed deeper into the bowls of the planet.

Raditz had fought like a man possessed, revealing strength that Vegeta never imagined the third class having. He lashed out at everything that moved, his blood lust feeding his growing rage. Vegeta matched Raditz's fury and together they had advanced wordlessly on the woolen subspecies, cutting them down viciously, recklessly wasting their energy, while ignoring the muttered words of caution from Nappa.

Then without warning the tide turned on them. Instead of becoming weaker as they delved deeper into the womb of ice and snow, the creatures grew fiercer with every kilometer. After several hours of heated battle, Nappa and Raditz fell into exhaustion, leaving Vegeta to work twice as hard until eventually even his massive reservoir of power was depleted.

Cut off from every avenue of escape, the beasts began to herd the Saiyans even deeper underground, until they were trapped in an enclosed cavern. With a cry of unobtainable victory, Raditz had surged forward, uncaring that no power lay behind his blows. The throng of beasts swallowed him whole and Vegeta lost sight of him for a several seconds, before he was spit back out by the undulating mob. He slammed against the far wall with enough force to cause it to crack, before he landed on the floor, broken and bloody.

The impact of his body shattered a thin sheet of ice that had covered the opening of a narrow fissure. Without hesitation Vegeta dove through the hole, dragging the unconscious warrior with him. Now here he sat, like a defenseless rat in a trap, waiting for death. His sensitive hearing could make out the sounds of the beasts digging out the trench, enlarging it for their greater girth. He estimated that they would break through in a little less than half an hour, not nearly enough time to regain his strength.

If they weren't buried beneath kilometers of ice and dirt they could retreat back to their pods, blasting off the surface until they gained a low orbit around the planet. Once out of danger, Vegeta could regain his strength and nuke the overlarge snowball from orbit and to hell with any punishment he would receive from Frieza. Surviving this mission was just one of his master's sick and twisted tests anyways. By killing all the creatures on the surface, it would prove that Vegeta was too strong and he would be put to death by the Emperor, but if he blasted the planet from orbit, then Frieza would never know the true extent of his power. Any low class warrior in the tyrant's army had enough power to blow up a world, but it was forbidden to destroy valuable property. Vegeta would gladly take his punishment, since it would mean he would live to see another day. However, getting to his pod was an elusive dream. There was no way that he was going to escape his frozen tomb of snow and ice.

"My Prince." Nappa's quiet utterance jerked Vegeta out of his thoughts.

"What?" He snapped angrily, he was bone weary and taut with fury so he had no words of consolation for the tough warrior across from him.

"Raditz will not last much longer if we don't get him stabilized. We need to put him in stasis in the pod." Nappa knew that his words were meaningless and that they would earn him a harsh reprimand, but he felt that it was his responsibility to keep his prince appraised of Raditz's condition.

Vegeta's lips pulled back into a wicked sneer as the scathing words formed on the tip of his tongue. When he saw the quiet acceptance in the older man's face he swallowed his bile and nodded his understanding instead. Six months ago he would have shredded the warrior with his razor tongue, but along with his new strength he had also amazingly found a very small measure of temperance. It would do him no good to reproach the man, who was only fulfilling his duty, loyal to his prince until the bitter end.

Vegeta rested his head back against the cold wall, watching the twinkling lights above him. He wondered what the woman was doing right now. She was probably cuddled up in some environmentally controlled lab, all nice and cozy while typing away at her terminal. He had long since run out of energy to control his body temperature and another shiver wracked his frame. He imagined how she would screech in outrage if he put his cold hands on her body right now. A small smile flitted across his lips as his eyes drifted closed. Behind his lids he saw flashes of colors as white, crimson and teal swirled together in a sickening dance. He jerked his head away from the wall, uncertain why the vision disturbed him so deeply.

Something sharp jabbed his thigh and he shifted to relieve the pressure. He reached down to pull out the cylindrical tube that had been passed to him before he left Primus. There was writing on the side of the capsule and he squinted to make out the words.

Care Package, it read in bold pink print. Vegeta rolled his eyes. It was undoubtedly the Onna's doing.

He popped the capsule, curiosity momentarily distracting him from his dilemma. Several items clattered to the floor and he pawed through them. There was another capsule that was inscribed with the words Gravity Room on the side. A thoughtful gift, but useless to him at the moment. There was a vial of green fluid that he recognized instantly. His lips curled back into a snarl and he almost destroyed the serum on principle, but reason stayed his hand. Perhaps he would, by some small chance of providence, have the opportunity to use it to his advantage. A vial of yellow serum sat next to it, marked antidote, Vegeta pushed it aside to look at the third vial. It was a shimmering blue liquid that he had never seen before. On the side it was labeled as Booster. His brow furrowed with confusion as he dropped the useless bottle onto the ground. Several syringes were littered in with the contents and Vegeta almost missed the holo chip that had fallen to the ground.

He cocked his head to the side, listening to the clamor of the creatures on the other side of the wall. He figured he had about fifteen more minutes to live and he might as well use the time listening to the last words of the onna.

He activated the chip and a six inch image of Bulma sprung to life. She was dressed in her lab coat, a clipboard in her hand and her hair was gathered up into a knot on her head. She was pale and drawn as a few teal strands straggled down around her face. She must have created the hologram only a few hours before the lab exploded and he was shocked to see how worn she looked. She had obviously not been sleeping well and he wondered if she had worried about him while he had been imprisoned.

"Hey Vegeta" she smiled wearily up at him, "I hope you are okay. If you a watching this it means we got royally fucked, but of course I have an alternate plan." He rolled his eyes anticipating her egotistical, "I'm a genius" soon to come. Instead she surprised him by looking up with a cheeky grin. "Of course I am and stop rolling your eyes at me." He snorted. "I heard that" was her pert reply. It was annoying that she knew him so well that she could pre-record her replies to his comments, but at the same time it was oddly comforting.

"Anyways, one of two things must have happened." She looked down at the floor, uncomfortable for a moment, before she looked back up at the holo recorder. "I'm either dead or you have been sent away." She shifted as a grimace flitted across her face. "Either way we have been separated, but as long as you are alive there is hope." She smiled subtly, her faith in him shinning in her eyes. Vegeta looked away guiltily, the sounds of his pursuers echoing in the cavern.

"If I'm dead, it doesn't mean anything has changed." He glanced back up at her image incredulously. Her eyebrows were drawn together and her mouth was pressed into a straight line, seriousness ebbing off of her. He could see the hard inner core of steel that had kept her alive for so many years. She was a strong woman who refused to buckle under the pressures of her unstable life, but instead twisted the world to suit her to the best of her ability. "We made a deal and I provided you with all the tools that I promised. I fully expect you to keep your end of the bargain. Once you have killed that bastard you will be given a list of all the people whom I promised freedom too. I know you will abide by your honor and free them. My agents will be watching you always and they will lend you hand when they can. They don't know what your intentions are, only that my dying wish was that you be kept safe." Her eyes burned into him for a moment and he shifted in shame. She was putting so much faith into him to save her and her people and here he sat waiting to be slaughtered like a suckling pig.

Suddenly her face brightened as she brushed away her dark mood and not for the first time he was unsettled by her mercurial temperament. "On the bright side, I could be alive and we are just momentarily separated by circumstance. If that's the case I will continue to work on some tools to help you get stronger." She held up a metal cuff. "I am already working on some gravity bracelets for you." She glared down at the object for a moment before shrugging and setting it down. "It's not really working out, but I'm sure I will figure it out, I always do. After all I _am_ a genius." She snickered up at him and his lips quirked into an answering smile.

She picked up a green vial, showing it to the holo camera. "I have managed to reproduce the serum that the Resistance used to capture you," she set that down to pick up the yellow vial, "and I have sent the antidote with Red Ribbon to inject you with when they free you. I have included these in your care package, just in case you need them. I have also discovered something fascinating." She picked up the blue vial. "I have created a new compound that boosts a person's ki level exponentially. So someone who has no ki could inject themselves and suddenly find that they are ten times stronger or if you have depleted yourself you could use the injection for an extra boost." Vegeta sat up and stared at the image his mouth gaping open in shock as he reached for the blue vial at his feet. He couldn't believe it, the woman had pulled his ass out of the fire again and this time she didn't even intend too. He was so busy gawking at the vial that he almost missed her next words.

She frowned at the vial she was holding while shaking her head. "The only problem is that I can only get it to last for about thirty seconds, which means it's pretty much useless. I mean what are you going to do in thirty seconds?" She shrugged and put the vial back down. "Oh well, I'm including it just in case." He glared down at the bottle a plan forming in the back of his mind. Thirty seconds wasn't long enough to kill all the creatures, but it may just be what he needed to get out of the cavern. His thoughts were broken by the quiet voice of the woman.

"Vegeta. Just in case this is my last correspondence, you know if I am dead." A pale hand fluttered up to rest at her neck as her face paled slightly. "I just wanted you to know that for a brief while I was truly happy in the world that we created together. With you near I was able to forget what waited for me outside of Primus and I am truly thankful for that. I wish you success with all my heart Prince Vegeta, you deserve your own brand of happiness as well. I know you will avenge your race, you will accept nothing less." She gifted him with a sad smile before she blinked out of existence.

Vegeta's heart clenched as he allowed her words to wash over him. She was relying on him to defeat Frieza. She had chosen him to be her champion, in the fight for survival. He felt a momentary flash of anger. Why did he have to be the one to save the woman? How did he go from the ruthless monster that she had hesitated at entering into a compact with to her one and only savior? It was unfair. He had gone so long in life concerned only with keeping his own hide intact. He didn't even have to worry about Nappa and Raditz; they were strong warriors who could take care of themselves. Now he was saddled with the expectations of one woman and the overwhelming knowledge that he could not betray her faith in him.

Her actions on the base wounded him deeply, but he understood her reason behind them. If he had died, she would have been left alone without any hope in the suffocating darkness that surrounded her. Even though they were separated now, she waited for him to fulfill his oath to her and he could not disappoint her by dying on this iceball of a planet, crushed by substandard species that could barely reason.

He filled a syringe with the blue fluid, laying it aside as he quickly encapsulated the rest of the items, tucking them away safely before standing. Nappa had heard the message, though he had turned his head to afford his prince privacy and now he stood assured that Vegeta would have a plan.

"Pick up Raditz and hold on to me." Vegeta ordered calmly as he rolled up his sleeve to bare his bicep. Nappa slung Raditz over his shoulder and moved around to grab Vegeta from behind. Vegeta took a deep breath before stabbing the needle deep into his vein, injecting the glittering fluid into himself. At first he felt nothing and he almost cursed the woman, but then suddenly power crashed down onto him in a blinding wave. He nearly dropped to his knees under the intensity as his muscles swelled with strength and his blood boiled with energy. With no time to lose he powered up quickly, gathering his ki in the palm of his hands and aimed for the ceiling of ice above them. With a fearless roar he released his power, flying closely behind the tail of the comet.

Rock and ice crumbled around them, but Vegeta followed the blast as it burrowed its way through the frozen layers of the planet. He could feel his strength rapidly draining from his body and he felt a momentary twinge of panic that they would not make it to the surface in time. Without warning they burst through the skin of ice in a geyser of suppressed energy, the freezing wind nearly shocking his body into inactivity. He raced for their pods, gradually losing elevation as his power wore away.

Suddenly he had nothing left to give and he toppled to the ground in a crumpled heap. He was more exhausted than when he had first started and he couldn't force his weary body up out of the bed of snow that he lay in. The pods were only a hundred yards away, but they might as was well be on another planet, for all of his ability to reach them. He felt a strong hand grasp him by the scruff of the neck as Nappa dragged both him and Raditz across the snowdrifts towards safety.

Bulma lay back on the large soft bed staring sightlessly at the ceiling. It had been two weeks since she had been separated from Vegeta and she was now on Frieza's ship traveling back to Capital World. She wondered what he was doing right now. Getting stronger? Cursing her? Surviving? As her thoughts swirled around his image, an unfathomable cold settled deep into her bones causing her to shiver.

Her eyes refocused as her mind pulled away from him and she found herself staring up at her reflection in the mirrored ceiling. She lay naked amid white satin sheets, her body pale sprinkled with bruises and red scratches. She knew that she would have to get up soon to spread some salve over the bite marks so they wouldn't get infected. With her teal hair spread out around her she looked so frail, as though a rough hand could shatter her like delicate porcelain. She stared into her cobalt eyes, made darker by the shadows both inside of them as well as underneath. She was exhausted and all she wanted to do was to go to sleep and never wake up again.

She didn't want to go on anymore. She just wanted it all to stop. All the pain, all the humiliation, everything. She imagined how beautiful it would look if she were to slit her wrists here in the middle of the snowy white sheets. How the blood would flow out of her, along with all her agony and despair, spreading crimson pools on the white fields, until all she felt was the comforting chill of death.

She blinked as the sensation of overwhelming cold washed over her again making her think of Vegeta. She heaved a great sigh as his smirking countenance glared down at her, mocking her for being weak and taking the coward's way out. As long as he still lived then there was hope. She would be able to wait for the day that he would come back into her life and destroy Frieza. He may hate her for what she had done on Primus, but he would honor his oath and free her.

Her heart seized at the memory of his dark eyes blazing with loathing as he was dragged from the receiving room two weeks ago. His last look of betrayal was forever etched into her mind and it haunted her in her dreams. Before meeting Vegeta she had been aloof from those around her. She protected her loyal companions and saw to their well being, but she never connected with them on an emotional level. It was necessary to be cold in order to survive the sadistic lifestyle of Frieza's court. But without even trying Vegeta had broken through her emotional barrier and demanded without words, her unconditional love.

He didn't even know how much she had come to care for him or how much it cost them both. In the past she complied with her court duties without complaint, stoically enduring Frieza's attentions while silently plotting against him. Now that she was once again firmly in the tyrant's scaly grasp her soul screamed for Vegeta's, crying out for respite against the harshness of her existence, begging him to save her. She needed to feel the shelter of his arms around her. She wanted to lean against his strength and be reassured that it was going to be okay in the end. But his last look of hatred was burned into her mind and it offered her no comfort.

She felt a rustling in the bed and she looked over to see the slender back of a pale golden woman sitting on the edge of the bed, head down with waves of cascading platinum hair shielding her profile from view. Bulma followed her lead and sat up as well, gingerly stepping out of the bed. Without a word she took the young woman's arm and led her to the bathroom, seating her on the toilet, while she fished around for the healing salve.

Since the day in the receiving room back on Primus, Delia had not spoken a word unless commanded by Frieza. She never looked anyone in the eye, instead staring blindly over their shoulder. Gently, Bulma knelt down and began to tend the girl's wounds, like she had done every morning for the past two weeks.

"I was happy once." The whispered words, startled Bulma from her own thoughts and she looked wide eyed up at Delia.

"I had a husband who loved me. He owned one of the biggest factories on Avearn." Avearn was a production planet, it was one of the largest producers of parts and micro chips necessary to create most of Frieza's technology. They built everything from scouters to war ships and in return they didn't get purged.

"Everyday he would come home to the house that he had built me by the sea and bring me a gift. Beautiful dresses, expensive jewelry, anything my heart desired. He spoiled me terribly." She wasn't looking at Bulma, in fact it didn't even seem like she knew she was there. She just stared at the wall blankly as though she was speaking to herself or maybe to someone Bulma couldn't see.

"Then Frieza came." Her voice rang like a death knell and Bulma grimaced. Everyone Bulma had ever met had their happiness shattered by that phrase. In the end Frieza always came and the pain began.

"He was inspecting the factories and he saw me. Instantly he wanted me, because of my beauty. My hideous curse of beauty." She spat the last words and her face screwed up into a grimace of disgust. Her entire life had been ruled by the perfection of her face and body. Men pressed against her like animals in heat, demanding her attention, fawning on her like she was a living doll. They never saw beyond the brilliance of her golden hair or the shimmer of her flawless skin. They thought of her as an ornament to be displayed, a possession to be owned.

The only man to see behind the façade of beauty was Kale, her loving husband. He touched her soul unlike anyone had before. He spoke to her as though she had a thought worth hearing in her pretty little head and he treated her as though she was an equal. He lived for her happiness and in return she gave him her heart.

"My husband protested of course, but he died suddenly. A lot of people die suddenly around Frieza." Delia's hands were clenched tightly in her lap and she shifted her gaze from the wall to her fisted hands. She remembered clearly the day that Frieza's servant had darkened her doorway. He claimed that there had been an accident at the factory. An explosion that killed Kale along with several workers, but she knew the truth in her heart.

The man ordered her to gather her things and to follow him to Frieza's ship. She was to become a ward of the court and her wealth was to be confiscated for the good of the empire. But she had seen the sheen of lust in the Emperor's eyes the day before and she knew that her husband's death was no accident. The tyrant had wanted her and he arranged it so that he could have her.

Bulma reached out and covered the woman's hand with hers, providing her with the limited amount of comfort that she could. She was angry at Delia for her betrayal and still confused as to why the woman lied to Frieza about Vegeta's power rating, but she understood the pain of loss and what it was to suffer under the Ice-jinn's rule.

"I fought. I fought so hard that he almost killed me several times." Delia turned her head, her lavender eyes piercing into Bulma's azure ones. Her small body shook with anger and Bulma was surprised that the delicate woman had it in her. In the past few weeks, Delia had yielded her body to Frieza without comment, without the slightest struggle. Even Bulma, who tried so desperately to continue the game, could not give in so easily, especially after her night in Vegeta's passionate arms.

"I know you despise me and I don't blame you. There is nothing that I can ever do to make it up too you. Just know this, in the future if I have too, I will betray you again." Her vow was uttered quietly and with conviction. Bulma gasped and removed her hand from the woman's, staring at her in astonishment. After their time spent together, Bulma knew the woman's body more intimately than she cared to admit, but it was obvious that she had no idea what went on inside the woman's head. Bulma thought Delia felt remorse for her actions back on Primus, but here she sat, callously promising to deceive her again if called upon to do so.

"Why are you doing this?" Bulma asked shakily.

"I am telling you this so you know. I am tired if the lies, the betrayal. It's best for you if you know the truth. I _can't_ be trusted Bulma." Her words had a hard, cold edge that lent truth to her convictions.

"Why?" Bulma didn't understand why Delia would tell her not to trust her if she planned to betray her again in the future. By forewarning Bulma, Delia ruined her chances of any lies working against the blue haired scientist.

"Frieza has my son and I will do anything to ensure his safety. _Anything_." Delia stressed the last word while looking deeply into Bulma's eyes"He took away my husband. He cannot and will not take my son!" She hissed vehemently. Her son was the last thing she had left of Kale and she could not stomach the fact that Frieza had him. He was her world and she would endure a thousand years of torment in the seven hells to see him safe

"What about Raditz?" Delia looked away to stare at the wall again. Raditz was the one man since Kale that seemed to see beyond her stunning beauty and see her as a person. Not as a prize, but as an individual. Their time spent together had been precious and she would forever hold it sacred in her heart, but she could not allow herself to mourn something that could not be. Her devotion to her child outweighed any other relationship. Delia's first and only concern was the welfare of her son. Bulma having no children couldn't grasp the depth of protectiveness and sacrifice a mother felt. Small tremors ran through her body and the golden woman swallowed before she replied.

"He hates me now anyways, so it doesn't matter. Only my Jarrell matters."

Before the woman could say more they heard the door to the outer chamber open and they quickly finished their chore before exiting the room to greet their Emperor.

Vegeta saw Bulma stretched out naked on a field of snow, her cobalt eyes staring sightlessly up at him. The snow around her was drenched in crimson where the blood had flowed out of her. Frieza stood over the woman, laughing mercilessly at Vegeta. No matter how much he struggled he couldn't move and all he could do was stare down at the woman's lifeless body. The wind blew around him, shrieking with intensity. In the onslaught of the storm he thought he could make out the woman's voice wailing in sorrow. "Kill him" it cried and soon it was followed by more voices. The din rose until it sounded as though millions of voices filled the air, all chanting, "kill him" over and over again in the language of his dead race. Unable to withstand the incredible volume, Vegeta fell to his knees covering his bleeding ears in desperation, while Frieza still laughed down at him.

Vegeta shot awake, confused for a moment as to where he was. Realization dawned on him as the pale planet floated into view. He felt anger and helplessness rise up inside of him. If he was too weak to destroy some brainless animals on a frozen world, how would he ever defeat Frieza, the strongest being in the universe? Vegeta glared at the offending planet, frustration spilling though him as his keen mind worked furiously.

By now the woman was probably back on Capital World safely ensconced in her laboratory, inventing some brilliant gadget. His dream was nothing more than conjuration of his feelings of inadequacy and was not a precursor to future events. Frieza would not kill a woman that was so valuable to him.

Vegeta's brow furrowed as the image appeared in his mind and he examined it with deliberate detachment. The blood that stained the ground was mainly around her hands that were flung wide away from her body. On her wrists were long bloody gashes that could only be self inflicted.

Vegeta flinched at the new insight to his dream. While he was asleep he had assumed that Frieza had killed the woman and was laughing at Vegeta with scorn, but now he realized what he was really seeing was the woman taking her own life. Vegeta shook his head knowing that Bulma would never do that to herself and he had nothing to worry about.

_Unless she lost all hope._

Vegeta's growling echoed in the small pod as the stray thought infiltrated his mind. There was no reason for her to loose hope, she made sure that he got away from Frieza and she would undoubtedly hear that he had survived this mission. He would blow up the planet and be on his way.

_You are too weak to kill those pathetic ice beasts and you are too weak to kill Frieza._

Even though the woman had provided him with a GR, he would not be able to use it daily. In fact he would only have access to it when he was sent away on purge missions and no one was around to witness his training. He would have to leave the purges to Nappa and Raditz and try to spend as much time on the planets as he could get away with. At that pace his ability to increase his strength would slow to crawl and it could take him years before he was strong enough to fight Frieza.

_Years that she doesn't have._

Vegeta could be indefinitely patient as long as he had an achievable goal. He would stalk his prey until the perfect opportunity arose, but instinctively he knew that Bulma was at the end of the line. Mentally she was one of the strongest people he knew, but he also knew that she would not be able to withstand the pressures of living in Frieza's court much longer. If left without any hope, she may choose to escape any way she could.

Vegeta glanced down at the planet and made his decision in the space of a heartbeat. He needed to become stronger and walking away from such a prime opportunity would be wasteful.

He opened a comlink to Nappa to relay his next orders. The nearest world happened to be right outside of the badlands. The area of space that was claimed by no one and was infested with criminals and cut throats, which meant the planet itself was not entirely hospitable, but was an excellent place to hole up if one needed too. Nappa would take Raditz to get healed and then rent a room in a seedy area of one of the cities. Nappa would then make sure that a steady supply of alcohol was shipped up to the room while complaining loudly to anyone who would listen that his prince would not leave the room no matter how much he coaxed.

If all went well, word would get back to Frieza that Vegeta had gone on a binger and would not be returning to duty anytime soon. This would give Vegeta the time necessary to go down onto the planet and methodically clean out the den of beasts, increasing his power every step of the way. Now that he knew what to watch for, he would not get trapped again. Dumb as they may be, the ice creatures were the only challenge for hundreds of light years and he would sacrifice them at the alter of power. Once he had killed them all, he would open up the GR and train vigorously for as long as possible.

He figured that he would have about a month before anyone would become suspicious and wonder why he still hadn't left his room on the neighboring planet. Once done he would blow up this iceball and Frieza would never know any different.

He would report back to duty and take his punishment for destroying the world and then going awol for a month. His power still wouldn't be great enough to defeat Frieza but he would be much closer than he was now. With a breath of steady determination, Vegeta set the coordinates of his pod to land near the ice caves so he might begin his newest challenge.


	21. Precursors

Disclaimer: I don't own it, sigh it's been over 20 chapters and I am running out of quips. Oh wait, if I did own it, I would let Vegeta spank me. There I knew I had it in me.

Chapter Twenty One

Precursors

Bulma skimmed her hand over the soft white fur that was tipped in silver. The pelt was large enough to fit over her queen sized bed and still hang onto the floor. She lay amid her fluffy cocoon while absently thinking of Vegeta.

It had been months since she had last seen him on Primus and she missed him dreadfully.

All she could think about was him. Oftentimes she would find herself staring out into space, lost in her memories of their time spent together on Primus. More than once an experiment had been ruined because she sat reminiscing at the feel of his taut muscles against her skin or the sensual glide of his tongue against hers. As awful as it sounded she even missed the way he yelled at her.

For weeks she played out the scene in her bedroom before they went in front Frieza. Repeatedly, she asked herself if there was something that she could have done differently, if there was some way she could have avoided hurting him. Her whole soul ached with the knowledge that he had left on his mission hating her. His last look of fury directed towards her, before he had been dragged from the room, haunted her and the regret did not lessen with time like it should have.

She had been so worried after she found out what sort of world he had been sent too. Frieza had long since known about the planet, but because of the harsh climate it was worthless to the warlord and there had been no reason to purge it. He had merely sent Vegeta there to test his strength and his loyalty to the empire. It was a simple way to find out if Vegeta was indeed a threat to the throne.

Bulma had breathed a sigh of relief when she heard that Vegeta had chosen to blow up the world from orbit rather than go down to fight the beasts, much to Frieza's dismay at being outsmarted. She had chuckled out loud when the outrageous news of Vegeta's defiance reached her ears. Surely, he had figured out a loophole around Frieza's neat little trap, leaving the Emperor with no proof of Vegeta's true power.

She had been more than a little confused to find out that right after destroying the world he had retreated to a nearby planet, ignoring all orders to return to duty and instead drank himself into a stupor for a month straight. At least that's what the reports had said, but Bulma knew that Vegeta was incapable of such behavior. He would never display the disgusting amount of emotion that it would take to drink oneself into ruin. Rumors began to fly around the palace that Vegeta was so infatuated with her that he could not stand the fact that Frieza had stolen her away and people openly mocked the prince, much to her fury.

Those who came near her soon learned to keep their mouth shut. No one dared malign the prince within her hearing or they would have the misfortune of experiencing the razor sharp edge of her harsh tongue. More than one person had fled her presence in tears and even her co-workers began to give her a wide berth, which had served her well in the end.

Not long after that she found out that he had been reassigned to a distant base this time on a planet in the Drago Sector, she had sent him another care package via her informants. She had included the gravity cuffs that she had finally completed along with a vid chip addressed to Raditz. After careful consideration, she had forgiven Delia for her treachery and although she would never be able to trust her, Bulma felt that Raditz had a right to know what had motivated the woman to do what she had. As long as Frieza held Delia's son she was under his complete control. She had no will of her own and would obey him without question. Bulma would expect nothing less from a mother and it was a lesson that she took to heart.

She had been completely surprised when a few weeks later a capsule had arrived for her from Vegeta. Inside she had found the beautiful pelt and nothing else. He hadn't needed to include an explanation though, she understood him loud and clear. He had completed the purge on PX3 and he had become stronger for it. He had not gone on a binger like everyone assumed, but had stayed behind on the icy world and pushed himself to the limit. By sending her the pelt, he was telling her that he had not forgotten his promise to her and that he would continue to train until he could defeat Frieza. She dared to hope that he had forgiven her for her treachery back on Primus, maybe even to go as far as to understand why she had done it.

She tried to roll over onto her back, but the position was too uncomfortable and she was forced to stay on her side. Her time was nearing and she almost had everything completed. She had composed a data chip for Vegeta giving him all the information he would need, including some fascinating facts about some magical balls she had researched. She had a few last minute touches to finish up on the Saiyan pod she had recreated secretly in her lab and the only thing left was to send a message to Vegeta warning him of the impending danger.

Vegeta stood on the cusp of greatness. During her journey back to Capital World in which she had been closeted in Frieza's rooms she had been able to collect enough of the Ice-jinn's genetic material to do a power rating scan. She now knew exactly what level of power the terrible lizard possessed and she compared it with Vegeta's. He was so close to victory that it was exhilarating. All she had to do was make sure he survived long enough to defeat Frieza.

She tried to sit up but her stomach cramped viciously and she fisted her hands in the coverlet in an effort to starve of the pain. Her time had run out.

Vegeta, Raditz and Nappa touched down in the courtyard outside of the base. Every afternoon they flew off to the indigenous deserts on the other side of the world to train with Bulma's gravity cuffs. They created a field around the wearer allowing them to adjust the gravity according to their needs. Out of sight of the base residents Vegeta was able to train, while both Nappa and Raditz stood guard for any intruders that may try to spy on the prince. The cuffs didn't work nearly as well as the GR, but it was better than nothing and the only option that Vegeta had available to him.

Since returning from PX3 he had been sent on several purge missions and he used the time to train while Nappa and Raditz completed their job. Most purge teams took five days to decimate a world while in the past it had only taken Vegeta a mere twenty four hours. Now that it was necessary to train while away from the base, they stretched their missions out to the five day maximum, earning them curious looks, but not much else. It seemed that his month long "binge" had served him better than he intended. Everyone thought his lax attitude and slovenly work was due to his heartbreak at having Bulma torn away from him.

If only they knew how right they were. Outwardly he gave no sign to the internal turmoil he endured daily. As the weeks had passed his anger at her abated, leaving behind a deep longing in his heart. The weeks melted into months and his desire for her did not fade like he expected it too. Instead it grew steadily, veraciously consuming him, until he ached with need. He wanted to hold her and to touch her. He wanted to brush his lips against hers and to taste her very essence. But above and beyond that he wanted to be beside her once again, to have her smile up at him with eyes sparkling with happiness. He wanted to see that look of love that he had spied their last night together, directed at him again. All he had to do was destroy the one thing that separated him from his mate, the hateful tyrant Frieza.

Not long after he had returned, the woman had sent him the gravity cuffs and he had used them steadily ever since. There had also been a vid chip for Raditz, but Vegeta had no idea what it had said. Since Primus the usually cocky man had been sullen and withdrawn, barely speaking unless spoken too. Whatever had been on the chip hadn't improved his disposition either; in fact the man seemed even more depressed and angry. Vegeta hadn't concerned himself too deeply with the man's pain; he had his own problems to solve.

It had taken him almost two weeks to clean out the ice caves of PX3, until finally he slew the king of the beasts. A great behemoth of a creature that lived in the heart of the world, standing nearly twenty feet tall in all of its silver glory and as ferocious as a Dikainian Raptor. Vegeta had been careful not to harm its pelt when he had killed the creature and he had taken great delight in skinning it and curing the fur. He knew then that he would send it to Bulma as a reminder of his pledge, but also as a token of his affection. On his world, if you gift a female with a trophy from your kill, you are telling her that you prize her above all others. It was his promise to her that once he was ruler she would want for nothing as his queen.

He desperately tried not to think about the fact that she might reject him. Once he ruled, she would have the freedom to do as she pleased. If she chose to leave him behind and retire on her quiet planet then he had no choice but to abide by her wishes. He ruthlessly ignored the fact that she had become a craving in his blood that could not be purged. He was irrevocably linked to her and distance would not solve his problem. He was well and truly mated and the thought that she might spurn him pained him deeply, but as he had found, her wish was his command. He hated the fact that she had become such an infuriating weakness to him. That one small, simple woman could bring him to his knees with a toss of her teal hair, but he was at a loss of how to rectify the matter. So in a tried and true manner, he ignored his feelings, choosing instead to concentrate on present dilemma instead of looking to a murky future that was not even assured. Before he could have the woman, he had to kill his enemy.

The rush of power he had felt after his month long training session on PX3 had been incredible. He now knew what true strength was. He felt connected to the universe in a deep elemental way. He could hear the heart beat of the planet beneath his feet and see the flow of life in all the plants and animals. Without even trying he knew the power levels of those around him and if he unfurled the tendrils of his consciousness he could seek out the most powerful creatures of the universe as though they were pin pricks of light on the galactic map in his head. He had even cautiously felt out Frieza's power and was devastated to find that the nasty tyrant was still more powerful than him, but Vegeta was gaining ground quickly.

Instinct bade Vegeta to keep his power wound tight around himself, suppressing it so he would not call attention to himself. If he could feel out the power houses of the universe, then it stood to reason that Frieza could too. With that dawning realization, Vegeta also knew that Frieza hadn't really needed the scanner that day on Primus; he was merely playing to the crowd. He was just trying to bully them with scare tactics and mocking them with his superiority. He had only to look at Vegeta to know his power rating and if the serum hadn't leached his energy away he would have been blasted.

Soon he would be able to take his rightful place on the throne and rule the universe as the most powerful being in existence. He would don the Torque of Kingship and never again would it be ripped away. As for the woman, she would have to decide where she belonged; he could not force his will on her.

He strode down the halls of the base towards the mess hall, his ravenous stomach reminding him that he skipped breakfast. Outside of the doors, he was shocked when a lithe young woman launched herself into his arms. Her skimpy attire announced her as one of the base whores and Vegeta growled in anger. He reached around to grab her by the back of her dress to pull her off his chest when she leaned forward to whisper in his ear.

"I have a message from Bulma."

Instead of pulling her off, his fist flattened pushing her closer to him. He glanced around quickly noting that they were standing in the middle of the hall blocking the flow of traffic in and out of the cafeteria. Remembering that Bulma had told him once that the best place to share a secret was in public, he quickly dragged the woman into the dining area and chose an empty table in the middle of the room. Nappa and Raditz snarled at the warriors at the nearby tables causing them to be evacuated hastily. They each took a seat at a table on either side of Vegeta, their backs to their prince as if they were affording him privacy while he entertained himself with the whore.

Vegeta settled the woman so she straddled his hips and he could face her as they spoke. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned in close as his hands slid up her thighs to rest on her bare buttocks. He slapped away the random thought that this was not nearly as pleasant with this woman as it had been with Bulma.

"Speak." He hissed confident that the curtain of her burgundy hair would shield his words from any bystanders.

"Frieza's men will be coming soon to take you back to Capital World." She rested her forehead against his and he resisted the urge to shake her off him with disgust. If Bulma sent her in person it must be important.

"Why?" Taking him back to Capital World made no sense. Frieza would want to keep Vegeta and Bulma as far apart as possible.

"I don't know. All I know is that Bulma is desperate. She begs you to play the game. Whatever that means." The woman muttered, almost missing Vegeta's flicker of distaste in his eyes, but was treated to a first hand view of his wicked sneer.

"I am tried of playing." She had been prepared for this response and had a scripted reply.

"She knows, but you are not ready yet. You must not jeopardize the plan."

"How does she know if I am ready or not?" Vegeta snarled and the woman glanced around quickly to make sure no one noticed before leaning down with a salacious smile on her red lips. She fluttered kisses over his cheek before whispering into his ear.

"I am to tell you that you aren't powerful enough and that you would know what that means." Vegeta frowned fiercely while he assimilated the information. He already knew that his power was lacking compared to Frieza's because he could sense his enemies strength, but he didn't know how the woman knew. She would have to get very close to the ugly lizard to do a scan on him or somehow collect his dna without his knowledge to do a power rating. His gut twisted as a whisper of dread was born in his mind. He pushed away his rising suspicion, concentrating on the problem at hand. He knew that any information from Bulma would be dead on accurate and he had only to trust her, but that didn't mean he had to trust this woman in front of him.

"Why didn't she send a holo chip?" Vegeta question warily, suspicion snaking through him.

"She is in lock down right now. This message had to be smuggled out of her cell by word of mouth and passed to informant to informant to reach you. That is why it is kept intentionally vague." Vegeta's fury was so great that he reared out of his chair, nearly knocking the woman to the ground. The only thing that stopped him was her locking her hands on the backrest of the chair behind him and giggling girlishly.

"Easy there big boy, no need to get so excited." She gushed loudly while sliding her body sensually up against him. He got her hint and he settled back down into his chair, letting his hands roam appreciatively up her back.

"Why is she imprisoned?" Vegeta growled harshly while trying to keep his voice low. No one mistreated his mate while he lived. His hands tightened on the woman's back and she winced in pain. She began to feel very uncomfortable sitting on the lap of the universe's deadliest predator.

"All I know is that in a few weeks time you will be brought before Frieza and asked to do something that you aren't going to want to do." The woman couldn't stop herself from squirming as the prince's cold eyes narrowed dangerously.

"What?" His voice was low and it promised dark punishments if he was not satisfied.

"I don't know." She stuttered out, fear seeding in her heart.

"What use are you? Get off." He started to push her from his lap, but her loyalty to Bulma gave her courage.

"Wait!" He paused, looking up at the wide eyed woman. "There is more." He settled back with a resigned sigh, knowing that it was in his best interest to hear everything the woman had to say.

"Bulma pleads with you to do as you are asked no matter how much it pains you. It's important for you to get back into Frieza's good graces."

"Like I care." He hissed.

"Sometimes you have to give up the little things to get what you really want. She knows you have the fortitude to complete the job." She whispered and Vegeta snorted, but he stared up at her. It sounded like something Bulma would say to him and he was sure it was a direct quote from the onna.

"I am to stress to you that this is Bulma's wish. What will happen will happen and it can not be stopped. If you refuse to do the task and allow someone else to do it, then she will never forgive you." Vegeta shifted uncomfortably at the ominous tone of the words. He didn't know what was going on, but he was pretty sure that he wasn't happy about it.


	22. Sacrafice

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ.

Chapter Twenty Two

Sacrifice

Vegeta sat on the narrow cot in the small sparse room. Shortly after arriving on Capital World he had been shown to his accommodations and left alone after receiving a clipped command to appear before Frieza in an hour's time. He had left behind Nappa and Raditz at the base, much to their ire, but he didn't want them in the way if things went awry. He felt his power boiling inside of him, straining for release from the tight cocoon he had wrapped it in. Frieza had no reason to conceal his energy and the aura that Vegeta felt ebbing off the Ice-jinn was astronomical. Vegeta was confident that his "master" was unaware of the power that he was suppressing, but once he stepped in front of the tyrant there would be no way that he could continue to hide it.

Vegeta looked down at the object that he was twirling absently in his fingers. The green fluid in the syringe glinted with a malicious light and his gut tightened with loathing. It was so frustrating to be so close to his goal and yet have it be so unobtainable. If only he had a month more to train, he would be powerful enough to defeat Frieza and claim his hereditary right. All of that would be threatened if he made one wrong move in the tyrant's presence. He couldn't afford to be found out now, after so much work, but he was unwilling to harness his power to avoid detection.

The ominous words of the whore back on the base rang through his mind. He would be called on to do something heinous today he was sure that it more than likely had to do with Bulma. She had faith in him to overcome any obstacle in their way and her conviction that whatever was going to happen could not be stopped reassured him in a perverse way. He grimaced at the knowledge that when it came to court intrigue and hidden plots he bowed to her experience. She would have already analyzed every other possible solution to the problem that awaited him and if she said that the only answer was to play along, then that was the best thing to do. He just wished that he knew what it was.

He eyed another syringe that sat on the bed next to him, filled with the antidote to the serum. If he got in over his head he could always inject himself with the cure and then try to fight his way out as futile as it may be. Every fiber of his being rebelled at the thought of willingly subjecting himself to the loss of his power and opening himself up to an attack, but he had no choice. Such games were beneath him and he growled in anger at having to play them in order to get what he wanted.

There was a sharp rap at the door, signaling that it was time to face his fate before the mighty lord. With a grunt of acceptance he injected the rotten fluid into his veins, gritting his teeth as his strength flowed away. It hurt more this time than it had previously. He felt as though something precious was being ripped from him and the emptiness was overwhelming. He had not realized how comforting it had been to be so interconnected to everything around him and severing the link was like cutting off his tail.

He stood shakily, pocketing the yellow syringe before striding to the door. He followed the court page down the corridor, foreboding churning in his stomach with every step he took. They paused outside the massive double doors that were intricately carved while he waited for the guard to announce him. With a soft creak they swung inwards to reveal his master sitting on his raised dais surrounded in a pool of sunlight. With confidence that belied his trepidation, Vegeta strode forward, sinking to one knee before the Emperor while covetously searching for his mate.

She stood to the left of the throne, her delicate wrists lashed together in front of her body. Her clothing was rumpled and stained as though she had been wearing them for days on end and her face was too pale for his liking. Dark shadows hung beneath her eyes and her cheeks were hollow with strain. Her body seemed to be more rounded and riper than he remembered it being. Although she was ragged and unwashed he had never seen a more beautiful sight and he shook with the urge to gather her up in his arms and carry her away from this hellish place.

He took this in with a flicker of his eye, being sure that his face remained implacable before the Emperor, giving away nothing that the monster could use against him.

"My dear little Monkey, it has been too long." The Ice-jinn purred and Vegeta had to resist the urge to shudder. He may be willing to play submissive before his master in order to get what he wanted, but he would not lower himself by exchanging pleasantries with him. With his trade mark stoicism he glared up at the ruler, waiting impatiently for an explanation for his summons. Frieza sighed deeply before turning to face Bulma.

"I don't know what you saw in him my dear, he is so uncouth."

"He gives good tail." She refused to look at Frieza, instead opting to drink in the sight of the proud warrior that she had missed so desperately. He looked so strong standing defiantly before the Lord, practically daring the lizard to fry him on the spot. How she had missed that strength. It wasn't until they had been parted that she realized just how much she soaked in his absolute, unquestionable resolve that he would defeat Frieza and to hell with anything else.

After so many months of being near Frieza, she had become mired down with doubts and living in the Emperor's court left her overwhelmed with the sheer intensity of his power. Hopelessness had reared its ugly head and being parted from Vegeta only fed her despair, but as always his mere presence settled around her in a cloak of comfort and security.

If Vegeta hadn't already been kneeling he might have stumbled to the ground at her words. Where were her coquettish smiles and her fake blushes? He had never seen her speak with such blatant disrespect to Frieza and the foreboding swelled inside of him.

"Tsk tsk. You have become so defiant of late, my precious genius. Whatever am I going to do with you?" She deigned not to answer him, instead tossing her head in dismissal. Vegeta had the sudden urge to reach out slap her for courting disaster while ignoring the pride that sputtered to life in his chest at her actions. Frieza snarled and Vegeta tensed, silently fingering the antidote tucked away in his pocket.

"I suppose you are curious as to why you are here, Monkey." Curious was an understatement at the depth of his interest.

"You have been very disappointing for the last several months. First blowing up my property, then refusing to come home from that disgusting little planet you resided on for a month. Reports indicate that your work ethic has dropped dramatically as well. I have people whispering in my ear that my dear little monkey is depressed. Is that true?" Frieza's tone was mocking and Vegeta resisted the urge to snort. The Prince of All Saiyans did not get depressed, but if the Ice-jinn wanted to think that the reports were true then he would not dissuade him.

"So uncooperative you two are. I have more enriching conversations with my house plants." Frieza snarled and Vegeta had to blink away the image of the imposing Ice-jinn cooing at a baby fern.

"Lets get to the real reason that we are here shall we?" Vegeta couldn't agree more and he watched as Frieza typed a code into a panel on his armrest. As a video screen was lowered down from the ceiling off to Frieza's right, Vegeta noticed that for the first time Bulma wrenched her gaze away from him and was now looking studiously at the floor. Without another word the screen blinked to life and Vegeta watched the story unfold.

The screen revealed an empty science lab viewed at a sharp downward angle from where the camera was pointed. It was dark and it was obvious that the feed was shot late at night after everyone had gone back to their quarters. A door slid open and Bulma stepped through, dressed in a long lab coat that was black instead of her normal white. The clothes she wore underneath were darker and bulkier than her normally revealing short skirts and thin blouses.

She stumbled forward catching herself on the edge of a stainless steel counter, bracing herself against a wave of pain that contorted her features. When the pain had passed she made her way to a locked cabinet that she opened and took out vials of medicine. Shakily, she filled a syringe having to pause when another wave of agony washed over her. She lurched across the room and the camera changed perspective showing her standing before an operating table with the needle clamped between her teeth as she pulled off her coat. She bunched it up at the foot of the table before stripping off the rest of her clothes.

Vegeta gasped when her rounded stomach was revealed as she disrobed. He shot a startled glance at Bulma but she still stared steadfastly at the floor, refusing to meet his eyes. He was drawn away from her by Frieza's evil cackle as he glared maliciously down at Vegeta.

"Such a little minx, our Bulma. She kept the secret of her pregnancy well. Concealing her weight gain beneath baggy clothes and staying inside her quarters as much as possible." Frieza's syrupy tones slid threateningly down Vegeta's spine and he saw Bulma hunch her shoulders slightly. She had been pregnant and she hadn't told him. She had plenty of opportunity to send him a message, but she had kept it from him. Instead, she chose to bear their child silently and alone with no one to support her. Not that he would have been able to come to her side if he had wanted too. What he didn't understand is why she allowed the child to come to full term instead of aborting the fetus. Having the child only complicated matters and put them both in danger, but instead she had made the decision for both of them without consulting him.

Bulma fought the urge to launch herself at Vegeta and beg him to understand her reasoning. How could she make him understand the surge of joy she had felt when she found out she was carrying Vegeta's child, along with the undeniable fear. She knew that the safest thing to do was to abort the baby before anyone found out, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She had sat in her small gray bathroom under the glaring yellow light and stared at the pill that would dissolve the life inside of her for hours.

She had carefully tested herself to be absolutely sure that it carried saiyan DNA just before she retreated to that lonely room to decide not only her fate of herself and her baby, but Vegeta's fate as well. By allowing the child to come to full term, she had invited their present situation, endangering their lives. Her only consolation was that their child was safe, sent far away from the reach of their master. Her heart clenched with knowledge that she had sent him alone, a mere babe, to an alien planet. She was confident that he would survive, after all he was half Saiyan and his father was the prince of his race, the strongest to ever exist.

From beneath her blue bangs she watched as Vegeta turned back to the screen in time to see her inject herself in the hip before climbing up onto the table. She had placed pillows up against the wall and she sat upright with her hands on her stomach as if she was bearing down on the bulge. Her face was twisted in agony and he watched with avid fascination as her abdominal muscles fluttered with her contractions. There was no sound to the video feed, but Vegeta could see the silent screams being wrenched from her as the pain lanced her body with increasing intensity with every passing minute. Sweat began to bead and roll down her face as her hair hung in damp strands down her back. Her whole body convulsed with each contraction and her lip began to bleed as she bit down viciously at it to muffle the screams. Vegeta fought the urge to step forward and gather his mate up into is arms in an unspoken apology for her pain.

"I think we all know what happens here." Frieza's bored tone pierced Vegeta's awe and he watched as the Emperor fast forwarded through several hours of labor. He stopped the feed as Bulma was reaching down between her bloody thighs to cradle a mewling infant in her arms. At the angle that they watched, Vegeta was able to clearly see that the child was a boy with a crop of lavender hair on his head. Bulma cooed at the child and a small purple tail wrapped around her wrist holding her in place. She held him close rocking him gently as tears streamed down her face.

Vegeta felt like he had been hit hard in the gut. He had a son, an heir to the throne. He knew that he should shove away the paternal pride that he felt at this moment. It would only serve to weaken him against what was yet to come. The child was nothing more than a liability to his cause. He could not allow his emotions to take rein of his reason. He cursed Bulma for allowing such a thing to happen, he cursed her for giving birth to their downfall.

"So, how does it feel to be a father Vegeta?" Frieza's sly eyes glinted with malice and Vegeta knew that he teetered on the razor sharp edge of his own destruction. Without a doubt he knew that he could not claim that child as his own or he would risk not only his safety but the lives of his family as well. Ironically, he only had to portray himself as the monster that everyone knew that he was. He curled his lip in a wicked sneer of disgust, growling in Bulma's direction.

"I think I'm going to vomit. I have never seen something so hideous in my life." He crossed his arms in front of himself defiantly, glaring at the Ice-jinn who cackled at his insulting words.

"How can you say that about your own son, Vegeta?" Frieza's merriment twinkled in his eyes and Vegeta snorted loudly.

"That's not my son. The Prince of All Saiyans would never whelp something with lilac tinted hair." He growled defensively before shooting a sneer in Bulma's direction.

"But the child is obviously Saiyan, my dear Prince. It had a little monkey tail." Frieza's blatant mockery instigated Vegeta's loathing for his master and it grew with every passing second. He felt as though he was sinking in a sea of lies and deceit that he was ill equipped to navigate.

"The whore must have been fucking one of my men behind my back, Lord Frieza." He spat the sentence out through gritted teeth and it could easily be mistaken for anger at Bulma when it really was self disgust. He had no idea how to untangle this mess or how to free his mate and son from the tyrant's grip.

He looked up to see Frieza's long pale tail curl around Bulma's waist yanking her closer to the throne. She looked frightened but hard determination lit her eyes and he could see her monumental stubbornness taking root inside of her.

"Now, for the last time Bulma. Where is the child?" Frieza's voice was gentle but violence simmered ill-disguised beneath the surface. Again Vegeta was treated to another shock. He had assumed that Frieza already had the child and would try to use it against them, but it would seem that Bulma had been able to smuggle the babe out of the Emperor's reach.

"I have sent him away. He is strong like his father and he will survive." She snarled venomously, but he didn't miss the hint of pride in her voice. Frieza hissed with displeasure as his clawed hand snaked up to grab her by the hair pulling her closer to his scaly countenance.

"I know that you little slut, what I want to know is where you have sent him too." Vegeta tensed at the murderous drawl and he readied himself for battle.

"I am the only one who knows and I will never tell you. I would never hand my baby over to a monster such as you, no matter the consequences." Her lips drew back over her teeth as Frieza wrenched her head back on her neck. He hauled her up off the ground before tossing her away from him with a snort of disgust. She flew into Vegeta who wrapped his hands around her upper arms to steady her. Her cerulean eyes held his obsidian ones for a brief moment, conveying her apology for their current mess as well as her conviction that it could not have been avoided.

"See what I have had to put up with Vegeta. She is so disobedient. Perhaps you can talk some reason into her."

Vegeta's incredulous gaze locked with his master's. "What exactly would you have me say my lord?" Vegeta's tone was rough with disbelief. Talking reason into Bulma was like walking naked on a sun, theoretically impossible.

Frieza huffed in annoyance before directing his pale eyes at the couple in front of him. "Find out where that brat is Vegeta or it is not going to go well for the both of you."

Vegeta looked down at the small woman in his arms, understanding brewing inside of him. This is what the whore had meant by playing the game and getting into Frieza's good graces. Although it didn't really make any sense, he seriously doubted that Bulma was going to tell him the location of the whelp.

"You heard him woman, where is the half-breed freak?" He growled threateningly as his fingers tightened on her. She winced and he almost loosened his grip automatically in response to her pain, but instead he shook her for appearances.

"Like I would tell you, asshole. You would probably kill him just out of principle." She ground out through gritted teeth while her eyes spit fire at him. Switching tactics, Vegeta opted to pull her closer to him, shuddering at the contact of her body against his. He felt her answering shiver and he wanted to groan. He inhaled deeply, reveling in the scent that had been denied to him for these long months.

"Don't be so sure of that, Onna. Do you really think I would murder my own spawn?" He purred into her ear. She leaned against him, drawing in his strength before she reared back to look him in the eye. With her back to Frieza she was able to show her true feelings while the lies spewed from her mouth. With a glance she conveyed her longing for him while she acted out her part of the script for the benefit of the Emperor. Her gaze became shuttered and a hard mask settled over her features. Do it, she mouthed to him before she replied.

"Of course, you are a bloodthirsty ogre who takes pleasure in the pain of others. Besides you don't even believe he's yours, there is nothing stopping you from killing him. You are nothing but Frieza's bitch!" She spat at him. Vegeta still didn't understand exactly what she wanted. Do what, he wondered. He was playing her little game, what more did she want? He shoved her away from him, slapping her with enough force to send her skidding across the floor at his master's feet. He summoned up a snarl of rage to cover the disgust he felt for striking her. She glared up at him, blood streaming down her chin as she growled ferociously.

"Bitch! You are nothing but a whore and not a very good fuck at that." He advanced on her, stalking her like he would his prey only to be brought short by the silky words of the Ice-jinn.

"Now, now children. If you can't play nice I am going to have to separate you." Frieza's eyes glinted with malicious delight as a smug grin stretched across his thin lips. He eyed Vegeta proudly and the prince knew that he was close to passing his sick test. Confident that he had wormed his way into a more flattering light, he sought to remove his mate from the potentially fatal situation and to safety. All he needed was another month and then he would be able to defeat Frieza.

"Lord Frieza, it is obvious that she is not going to tell us anything. She would more than likely die before giving up the brat. I say you toss her in a cell to rot while she thinks about her crimes." He tilted his head arrogantly as he crossed his arms over his broad chest, his wicked sneer firmly in place.

"You are right Vegeta. She is not going to tell us and unfortunately she has become more trouble than she is worth. I can't have someone like her around anymore. She has too many brains and far too many friends. Frankly, there is only one thing to be done." Frieza shook his head sorrowfully and Vegeta's gut twisted. He glanced down at Bulma and noted that her ivory skin had become even paler and her cobalt eyes darkened with dread.

"You are just going to have to kill her." Frieza said with cold detachment and Vegeta's wide eyes shot back up to his Lord. He fought for impassivity while his brain stuttered to a stop. W-what? His mind cried with shock. Unwilling images of the woman and child he had purged back on the planet invaded his mind, reminding him of his turmoil. He had hesitated when it was just a female that reminded him of Bulma and now the nasty lizard was commanding him to kill her in the flesh. Ordering him to blast his own mate into the next dimension.

He couldn't do it. He refused to do it. He looked back down at Bulma to see her mouthing another word at him. Sacrifice. With horror he realized that this was the task the whore had been talking about. The event that could not be stopped.

Bulma's death.

He was drawn into her swirling gaze as his thoughts twisted around him. If he refused she would die anyways by another's hand, more than likely Frieza's. There was a good chance that Frieza would blast him as well for disobeying a direct order and showing favor to a traitorous whore. It was another sick and twisted test. If he refused he would be admitting defeat but if he obeyed he would kill the one person in the universe that cared for him.

He fingered the syringe in his pocket. He could inject himself and try to fight their way out of the hall. More than likely they would die, but it would be an honorable death. He felt like grabbing his head in frustration. Months ago, he would have never considered that as a course of action. He would have blasted the woman by now and secured his own safety in order to complete his goal. She was only a roadblock in the path of his success. He no longer had a use for her and there was no reason to keep her alive.

As much as he wanted to convince himself that he hadn't changed, the truth blared at him loudly. The thought of killing his mate nearly dropped him to his knees with repulsion. He could not disgrace himself in such a manner and betray her.

Her eyes darkened as she read his thoughts. She knew he would balk at killing her even if he didn't love her. She was the only one who truly knew that he wasn't as monstrous as everyone believed him to be. If he didn't kill her though, he would be signing his own death warrant and Frieza would win in the struggle for power.

She knew that this day was coming, ever since she had sat silently in her cramped bathroom. She had made the decision willingly knowing full well the consequences of her actions. Bearing the royal heir and hiding him away would be her last defiant act against the throne. A deadly flaunt in the face of the Emperor, declaring her independence for once and for all. It was her choice to die, not the decision of Frieza to kill her. In the beginning she had plotted only for her freedom, but now that had morphed into something all together different. She was willing to sacrifice herself for her baby, for Vegeta, for the cause. She would become a martyr.

In a fit of shrieking fury she launched herself at her lover, beating him over the head with her bound hands. He grabbed her to him allowing her to lean forward to whisper in his ear.

"If you let anyone but yourself kill me, I will never forgive you." She brushed a kiss over his cheek before pulling away to scream at the top of her lungs, causing both males in the room to flinch at the sheer volume.

Vegeta held her tight against him, savoring the feel of her rounded body against his. His long dead heart seized in pain at the truth of her words. He heard the unspoken meaning behind them. It was true that if he didn't kill her he would die himself, but on a deeper level she loathed the thought of Frieza to be the one to kill her. If she had to die, then she would have Vegeta be the one to do it. It would be their last intimate moment together.

_I can't do it!_

The words echoed in his head and he saw Bulma's eyes widen a fraction. Without warning her soft dulcet tones intruded on his thoughts, so filled with longing and sorrow.

_You must do it._

He looked down into her shadowed cobalt eyes, surprise rife within him. Unaware by them both, a telepathic bond had formed between them, solidifying under the stress of the last few terror filled moments, allowing them to exchange words instead of mere emotions or wavering visions.

A doorway to her thoughts and emotions opened up to him, allowing him to peek inside at the complexities of her mind. Always her first priority had been the destruction of Frieza at all costs. He knew now that the safety of their child came first with Frieza's defeat at a close second. Neither of these goals could be accomplished as long as Bulma lived. If he refused to kill her then they would both die, their son would remain lost and Frieza would continue to rule.

"Are you waiting for something Vegeta?" Frieza's slippery tones echoed throughout the room, jarring the couple back to reality. He glanced up at the Ice-jinn his onyx eyes locking with cold pearlescent orbs. Vegeta could see a hint of mocking along with murderous intent in their jaded depths. Frieza was taking twisted pleasure at watching the Saiyan's dilemma. If Vegeta refused to do his bidding then he would die and the Emperor would have rooted out two traitors from his midst, but if he obeyed then Frieza would know for certain that he had a loyal subject.

With quiet deliberation Vegeta sealed the hole in his heart, freezing it solid. The hell that he had been through for the last year and a half was all do to the fickle emotions he had recently been subjected too. It had been so much easier in the past when he had them tightly under control. Ruthlessly, he purged them from his heart and mind, welcoming back the impassive killer that had stood to the side these many months. Mocking him as he learned to feel, knowing that in the end it would leave him broken. He knew what he had to do and Vegeta was a man who never shirked his duty.

"No, Lord Frieza." Vegeta replied stoically as he stepped way from his doomed mate.

_I'm sorry_

His mental voice was raw with emotion as his coal black eyes hardened into gems of hate. He raised his arm, remorselessly gathering his ki into his palm. The power sizzled in his hand as he aimed for her heart.

_I forgive you_

Her words whispered through his tortured mind, attempting to apply a soothing balm but failing miserably.

_But I will never forgive myself_

The last thing he saw before the blast tore threw the air was the utterly forgiving and loving look in her sapphire eyes.

She was flung back against the far wall, dead before she hit the floor. The smell of seared flesh filled the air and he resisted the urge to gag. Silently, he lowered his arm as he felt an unbearable coldness settle into his bones as the last remnants of his soul burned away, leaving him devoid and forsaken. She was gone and he had killed her. All hail, the Prince of the Saiyans, the most ruthless monster in the universe.

He barely heard his master's gratuitous praise of his loyalty to the empire and he absently noted that he was patted on the back like a dutiful pet. He was excused from the Ice-jinn's presence and without a word he turned on his heel to exit the room, leaving the corpse of his mate behind. With unseeing eyes he walked through the palace halls only briefly coming out of his reverie when someone brushed into him to slide yet another capsule in his hand. He clutched it tightly knowing that it was from his woman. Her last words to him.

Without pause he made his way to the docking bay and climbed into his pod, setting the coordinates for a distant planet that had been recently purged and yet unoccupied. A place where he could be alone with himself and the monster he had become.


	23. Our Son

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ, if I did I would have made Vegeta taller.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Our Son

Vegeta stiffly settled back into the curved seat of his space pod. His limbs responded sluggishly and he felt as though his entire body was carved from ice. He hadn't been this cold since he had sat waiting for his death back on PX3. The worst was the numb sensation that was spreading through his chest, freezing his useless beating heart and crushing the air from his lungs.

As he blast off from Capital World the computer automatically triggered the sleeping gas, but Vegeta belayed that order. He didn't want to surrender to oblivion before hearing the last words of his woman.

He popped the capsule revealing a video chip and a data chip. He picked up the vid chip and inserted it into the onboard computer and waited impatiently as the viewer flickered to life.

His mate appeared, huddled in what looked like a docking bay next to a Saiyan pod he had never seen before. She had cleaned herself off and changed her clothes, but it was obvious by her ashen skin and the strained brackets around her mouth that it was only hours after she had given birth.

She had their son cradled in her arms and he was cocooned in a swatch of silver tipped fur from the pelt he had given her. She looked into the recorder, a wan smile playing across her quivering lips. At the sight of his mate and cub, Vegeta felt his cold heart clench with white hot pain.

"Don't worry about Frieza seeing this." She picked up a small pen like object, showing it to the recorder. "I have figured out the frequency of his surveillance equipment and I have jammed the signal. I am a genius after all." Her smile widened slightly at their private joke and Vegeta allowed a ghost of a smirk feather across his lips instead of his customary eye roll. Her smile faded a little as she put aside the object. "Unfortunately, I only have about twenty minutes before they figure out what I have done. So I don't have much time."

Vegeta snarled inwardly at her words. Time was such a fleeting thing. You always think you have all the time in the universe. Time to train. Time to live. Time to love? But then one day that time was up and all you could do was look back with sorrow at how much of it was wasted.

Vegeta regretted that he hadn't trained longer and more vigorously while at the same time remorse rose within him for not spending more time with his mate. Training harder would have meant saving her, but closing himself away in that metal room meant not having as many memories of her as he would have liked.

He hated the fact that so many of those memories were filled with images of him yelling at her or mistreating her in some way. He comforted himself with the thought that there were good memories mingled in with the bad as well. Her animated chatter from across the dinner table and her quick, glorious smile that made his stomach do flip-flops. Or the way the tip of her tongue stuck out of the corner of her mouth when she was concentrating on something. Best of all he would cherish the memory of her soft moans panting lightly in his ear as he brought her pleasure over and over. A sound he would never hear again.

Bulma glanced down at the bundle she held in her arms as she brought her hand up to pull aside the soft fur. She tilted her arm so he could see a small red face scrunched into a scowl of displeasure at his forceful exodus from the fluidic limbo that he had floated in only hours before. Even though he was only a newborn he had a thick crop of lavender hair and his blue eyes were bright with intelligence.

"Vegeta I want you to meet your son."

His gut clenched and his hands fisted in his lap at the sight.

_His Son_

How could someone as tainted as he ever father something so beautiful? He had told Frieza that he was disgusted by the boy's purple locks, but in truth he swelled with pride. It seemed only fitting that his son, the heir to the throne, should have hair hued in the royal color.

All of his life he never dreamed of having a child. He never even considered the possibility that a man such as him, who was responsible for an untold amount of death, would have the honor of helping to create life.

"I know that you are angry that I didn't tell you sooner, but I thought it would be for the best. The knowledge would have distracted you from your training and you would never have agreed with my decision to keep him."

He turned his face away, unable to look at the truth reflected in her clear blue eyes. If he had known of her pregnancy he would have ordered her to abort the child. He owed nothing to some faceless brat that was not even born yet. Its very existence threatened their safety and he would have exerted all of his limited power over the woman to get her to comply with his wishes.

If she had refused then he would have risked death to return to Capital World, but not for moral support of her hardship. In order to save his mate's life he would have beat the child from her womb if he had too and to hell with the repercussions. In the end she would have hated him, but she would still be alive.

She looked at him with knowing eyes, seeing the monster inside of him, but steadfastly refusing to flinch away.

"I know Vegeta. It's okay. You would have done what was necessary and I don't blame you for that. By keeping our child, I knew exactly what I was risking, but I was weak and I couldn't bring myself to kill him. You are so much stronger than I ever could be."

Lies. She spoke nothing but lies. He may outmatch her in physical prowess, but he could never do what she did. Silently she bore their child alone, laboring for hours to give him life in the darkness of a deserted lab with no one to hold her hand. Months she had lived in fear of her secret. She hid her pregnancy away to protect her unborn child not only from her evil master but also from her ruthless mate. And every day she survived brought her closer to her predestined death.

She would rather die than kill her child. She would rather let Vegeta murder her than revel the whereabouts of their son. At that moment Vegeta hated her as fiercely as he did Frieza. She had made the decision that had brought them to this crisis. She had months to prepare for her death, while he had only moments to comprehend their situation. To make matters worse, she had known that Frieza would demand that he kill her. By keeping the child she had set Vegeta on a path of pain and sorrow, which he may never recover from. Vegeta had murdered millions of people in his lifetime, but killing his mate nearly destroyed him.

"I just couldn't do it. I told myself that I had every reason in the world to abort him, but every time I thought about it I broke down into tears. I don't know exactly how to explain it to you." She looked at him, her lower lip caught indecisively in her teeth as a slight blush heated her pale cheeks.

"I was so happy on Primus. Oh, I know we argued constantly and I annoyed you more than words, but to me it was pure bliss. You made me forget about my life before going to that base. You made me forget about all of the torment that I had suffered at the hands of Frieza and instead you made me feel safe and protected in a way that I have never felt before." She paused to smile angelically down at the child sheltered in her arms with all the love she possessed shining out of her eyes, before glancing back up at her lover. "You treated me so differently than any other man I had met. You didn't cower down to me because I was beautiful or run away because I was too intelligent. You looked at me and saw a woman, who wasn't perfect, but you didn't scorn my flaws. Instead you embraced them. You accepted me for who I was and didn't expect anything less."

Vegeta took a ragged breath while staring steadfastly at the monitor. He was afraid to blink, afraid that he may miss something. Her beautiful face burned into his mind like the sun, etching her perfect features into his memory. Her words pierced the darkness of his vanished soul, calling into the abyss. In all of his tortured existence he had never known happiness until he had met his mate. She had shown him a brief moment of peace before the demons of his past came to drag him into the reality of his life.

"The moment I found out that I was carrying your child, I knew that Kami was smiling down on me. Our child is an embodiment of that happiness and to destroy him would mean destroying that memory, erasing it as though it never happened."

She caressed the face of the infant and he gurgled happily at the attention. Vegeta's heart seized at the sound and he fought down the wail that threatened to escape his lips. How could he continue on with his mockery of a life without her? How would he survive another day in the suffocating darkness without the guidance of her light?

"I guess love really does make you a martyr." She whispered absently while still staring down at their baby. She composed herself after a moment and looked back up at the recorder.

"I wouldn't go as far as to say that you love me Vegeta, but I would like to think you have some warmth of caring for me in your heart."

Vegeta clenched his eyes shut, desperately trying to control the hot sting of tears behind his lids. Remorse howled through him viciously as he realized that his mate had died without knowing the full depth of his emotion for her. So many years of perfecting an emotionless mask had resulted in him shutting out the very one he cared the most about. His breath caught in his throat and blood began to pour from his palms as he knotted them into tight fists. True to his word, he would never be able to forgive himself for being the monster that he was.

"I want to ask a favor of you. Two actually."

If she wanted sun and the stars then she would have it. Anything she asked of him would be granted, no matter how long it took or what the consequences were. He would give her everything he had to give and more.

"You have been provided with a data chip, which holds the coordinates for the planet that I have sent our son too. I had to send him alone, but I am confident that he will survive. After all he is a Saiyan and his father is the strongest to ever live."

Vegeta nodded his head in understanding. It had been common practice in the past to send Saiyan infants to planets so they might grow strong. It was a way to thin the herd. Only the ones who were strong enough to make it back to their home world were worthy enough to be accepted back into society. Their son would have his physical strength and his mother's incredible intelligence. Vegeta had no doubt that their child would thrive on the alien planet that he was sent too.

"I want you to retrieve him as soon as you have defeated Frieza. I know that he is only half-saiyan, but I hope that you will raise him as your son and as the prince of the realm."

She shamed him with her doubts that he would not accept the child due to his heritage and abandon him on some strange world. Vegeta would make sure that the boy would grow up happy and secure, never having to face the trails that he had to endure as a child. Their son would never know a universe where a maniacal tyrant ruled, destroying everything in his path. He would be pampered and spoiled, never knowing a day of sadness. Their son would want for nothing, except perhaps a mother.

She looked sadly down at the bundle in her arms, rocking him gently. "Secondly, I have named him Trunks, after my father. I would like him to keep that name if it is alright." She looked up at Vegeta, pleading clear in her eyes. Her lower lip quivered and he wanted to reach out and soothe her. "Please Vegeta, tell him about me. Tell him about all the good things you and I shared. Tell him how much that I loved him." She paused as she swallowed hard, her voice breaking under the strain. "Don't let him find out about…about the bad things that I have done. Let him believe that I was a good woman." She tried to say more but she broke into sobs and her words were lost. Her shoulders shook and Trunks began to fuss in response to his mother's upset.

Vegeta felt something hot and wet slide down his cheek and he reached up to brush it away. Belatedly he realized that it was a tear that had escaped him. He was shocked at his show of emotion. The last time he had cried was when he found out that his home had been destroyed along with his entire race. Since that night he had never shed another tear, not even in pain. Ruthlessly he suppressed the urge to give into the flood of emotion that washed through him.

His cold heart began to throb with a burning ache and he clutched at his chest, certain that such pain could only be caused by a physical wound. With every shudder of her delicate body he felt an answering stab of pain within him. Guilt and remorse flogged him more brutally than any survivor from the Resistance ever had. How he wished he could do it over again. He would have taken her and fled Primus, completing his training away from the monster's evil reach. He would have made sure that she was safe in some distant galaxy, alive and well, instead of cooling in her grave.

As soon as Trunks fussing threatened to give way to wails, Bulma composed herself and shushed the child. After he quieted she looked back up at Vegeta, clearing her throat and the no nonsense woman that he knew so well appeared once again.

"I have been doing other things in the last couple of months besides getting fat, you know." A shadow of a smile flitted across her lips, but it was quickly lost to her sadness.

"I found some fascinating facts about some magic balls on a planet called Namek. Apparently they have the ability to grant the user three wishes. I didn't believe it at first, but my research seems to indicate that the myth may in fact be a reality." Her eye grew wide as she related the story to him.

"I don't know what the limitations are, but think of the possibilities if it is true, Vegeta. You might be able to wish for something as grand as your world back into existence or only something as small as getting your favorite supper. I don't know what the rules are so you are going to have to ask the Nameks." Her voice took on a chiding tone as she addressed him.

"This means you have to be nice to them. No terrorizing the ignorant masses. These sorts of things always have some sort of string attached, like a password or something. So try to get on their good side and get them to like you." She held up her hand to ward off a reply on his part, while shaking her head.

"I know, I know. Impossible you say, but I know you can do it if you just put your mind to it. It's all in how badly you want something. Now I have downloaded the coordinates for Namek on the data chip and I know you will do what is best."

She looked up at him, pride for him shinning out of her eyes. "I know you will defeat Frieza very soon and you can bet your steel-toned butt cheeks that I will be cheering you on when you do." She flashed him a brilliant smile while giving him the victory sign.

"Your Torque and my list of informants are still back on Primus in that hidden safe under the floorboards in the bedroom. I know you will honor word, I am just sad that I won't be able to see you wear that beautiful necklace. I spent a great deal of credits on that you know." She smiled again, but the strain of trying to appear upbeat wore down on her and she couldn't keep her happy-go-lucky act up any longer.

Her lips slid down into a grim line as she looked at Trunks once again. With a sad sigh she reached up to settle him in the open pod that she was sitting next to. She wrapped him tightly in the soft pelt, smoothing her hand against his cheek one last time. The babe slept peacefully, unaware of his mother's silent goodbye. She turned back to Vegeta, her arms empty and her heart nearly broken.

"My time is almost up and I have saved the hardest part for last." Her cerulean eyes shadowed with a mixture of uncertainty and resolve as she looked steadily at the recorder.

"Vegeta, I want you to know that I love you. I have never said that beyond the childish uttering to my parents. I have never felt about someone the way I do about you. I would spend the rest of my life with you if it was possible and I would never regret a day of it. I love you with all my heart and nothing will ever change that."

Vegeta looked away, unable to fathom her words. She must be delusional from blood loss, because there is no way that such wonderful woman like her could ever love a cold-blooded murderer such as he. Her feelings must be a strange side effect from creating a child together with him. Perhaps, in order to reconcile the fact she had given birth to a monster's spawn she had to tell herself that she loved the father.

"No Vegeta that's not true." He softly spoken words jerked him out of his reverie and he glanced back at the view screen. Her mouth had hardened into a serious line and her brow furrowed.

"I do love you no matter what. So don't let that wicked little voice inside of your head tell you otherwise. I can think of no other man that I would rather be with. You are strong, proud and fierce and I love every little thing about you, even the part that terrifies me. I don't care about the sins you have committed." She dropped her gaze for a moment, before looking back up to the monitor. "Or the sins you are about to commit, because I have met the man inside of the monster and he is worthy of my love and devotion."

Vegeta felt as though the world had dropped out from under him. Her words struck him in the heart, jumpstarting the cold, hard organ that had ceased to beat. He reached out a trembling hand, laying it flat against the monitor, his thumb brushing against the curve of her pale cheek. Her conviction gleamed in her eyes, convincing him of the truth of her words. She loved him without question and he had killed her. He destroyed the one being in the universe that looked at him unflinchingly. He stood alone on top of a mountain built out of the corpses of the innocent people that he had slaughtered with his bare hands, but his woman would have clawed her way to the top of the mound to be by his side. The pod shook with his roar of remorse as all of his agony and fury poured out of him in a wordless scream. He slumped down in his seat, emotionally drained while Bulma's dulcet tones echoed in his ears.

"Trunks will love you too, when you are finally reunited. Just you wait and see Vegeta."

His son. How would he ever be able to look at their child without toppling over with guilt? He would never be able to be honest with his son about his mother's demise. Barely born and Vegeta had already robbed the child of his happiness.

She sat forlornly on the floor of the docking bay, picking that the hem of her shirt. Her next words were so quiet that he had to strain to hear them.

"Do you believe in an afterlife, Vegeta?" She asked softly and he blinked in astonishment.

"On Earth, we believed that you had to pass through The Gate of Judgment. You stand before the great God, King Yamma as he sits at his desk with a list of your sins before him. He decides whether you go to heaven or hell or somewhere in between." Her shoulders slumped even lower and she refused to look up into the recorder as she spoke. "I suppose that I am not destined to exist in eternal bliss, so that means I will end up somewhere…darker." She looked up into the camera, shadows of guilt lingering in her crystal gaze. "I'll be waiting for you there, Vegeta. In the dark place." Vegeta knew that he would travel the long road into hell when he died; there was no question in the matter. It saddened him that his mate would reside there as well. How could the Gods pass judgment on deeds that were beyond your control? Some monsters were born, like Frieza. Others were created by circumstance. Did the Gods take that into consideration, while deciding the fates of the souls that passed by them?

She held his gaze for a long moment before her mouth stretched into a mocking smirk and a hard taint of vengeance glinted in her diamond eyes. "Now kill that fucker Frieza, so I can spend eternity terrorizing him down in hell."

His lips curled in an answering sneer as her beautiful visage winked off the screen. Thoughts of heaven and hell were of no concern to him. He already knew what hell was, he lived it everyday of his life. He reached down to insert the data chip, uploading the information into the ship's computer before reprogramming his destination for Namek. He had three wishes that were in need of granting.

A/N: I have no idea what that hall where King Yamma sits in DBZ is called so I named it the Gate of Judgment. Don't flame me for ignorance, pretty please.


	24. Me or Them

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ, if I did GT would have been very different.

The last couple of chapters were difficult. Vegeta had all that messy emotion crap running rampant, it was just sickening. But I figured I could get away with it since it was all internal. It's not like he broke down in front of anyone, so he still gets to retain his bad-assness we all love. However, it's time to shove those wussy feelings back into lock up and have Vegeta do what he does best, KICK BUTT!. gets out pom poms and waves them frantically GO VEGGIE!

Chapter Twenty-Four

Me or them.

Vegeta impacted heavily on the green planet, eagerly springing from his pod to inspect his surroundings. He was in the middle of an emerald field that was sparsely decorated with a smattering of oddly twisted trees and shrubbery. The golden sun shone down on the dark warrior, but its bright light could not pierce the shadows of his face. He raised his head, his hair ruffling in the cool breeze. His teeth pulled back into silent snarl as he sniffed the air like a predator on the prowl, uncertain of where to begin. He stretched out his consciousness, seeking out the nearest source of sentient life. If he had to interrogate each denizen of this worthless planet in order to achieve his goal, he would do so. Vegeta gave no thought to the innocents he would annihilate; only vengeance mattered.

Vegeta closed his onyx eyes that had hardened back into gems of ruthlessness and cruelty during his journey to Namek. He pushed away all his pain and suffering, molding it into a dense, hard ball of black torment that sat oppressively in the pit of his stomach. Vegeta did not allow himself to mourn or feel remorse; instead he hardened himself against his weakness, becoming an uncompromising warrior with the single minded purpose of destroying his enemy at all costs. Shards of glass splintered through his brain as the headache that had been plaguing him since he awoke in the pod sliced through his head. The beast inside of Vegeta roared as a whiplash of anger and hate surged and he grit his teeth in frustration. A faint voice whispered soothing words of patience in an attempt to pacify the raging beast, but he shoved it away, unwilling to hear the calming words.

As he reached out a flash of light sparked across his brain, alerting him to the presence of raised ki's in the area. His lips curled into snarl of disgust and a dangerous growl vibrated from his throat. He recognized one of the ki's as being Recoome's, a member of the Ginyu Force. Vegeta's thoughts frantically raced for an explanation for Ginyu's arrival on Namek, a planet that Frieza should have no knowledge of. He didn't understand how they could already be there. It could only mean that they had been on their way to the planet while he was back on Capital World. Suspicion festered, taking root in his mind and he felt the anger welling up inside of him.

Careful to keep his power level low, so not to appear on the scouters the Force wore, he flew towards Recoome. As he neared the disturbance, he could smell the acidic scent of blood and smoke in the air, forcibly reminding him of the many purge missions that he had participated in. Below him he could see the burnt remains of a village littered with the crumpled corpses of the residents. Thick, purple blood seeped into the land, staining the soil a rich dark color. Recoome's boisterous laugh rang out, drawing Vegeta's attention to the left. He could see the overgrown warrior facing off against a smaller, leaner green man who was obviously losing badly.

Vegeta landed softly on a nearby hill, watching the battle impassively. The presence of the Ginyu Force complicated his plans greatly. He had taken a perverse pleasure in the thought that he would be able to take his time torturing the Namekians for their information, thereby ridding himself of the plague of pain that suffocated him, but now he wouldn't be able to demand the dragon balls from the Nameks like he initially intended. He didn't have the time to waste searching for the dragon balls either, so he would need to have the Namek's cooperation if he wanted to gain them before Frieza did. It galled him to have to play nice with the green freaks, but he had no choice, he'd merely have to convince them that he was a better choice for their trust than Ginyu.

He heard soft feminine laughter mocking him in the wind, haunting his soul. He shook his head to clear it, but that only caused spears of agony to pierce his brain as his headache worsened. He wondered briefly if the woman had found her way safely to Yamma's gates, but he quickly shied away from that train of thought and concentrated on the battle before him. Decimating the Ginyu Force may be the cure that he was looking for. He thirsted for vengeance against them almost as intensely as he wanted it against Frieza. The untouchable Force had taken the opportunity to make the young prince's life hellish every chance they had gotten and the idiot before him was no exception. As Vegeta watched, Recoome blew the green man back several feet by a ki blast and readied his final blow.

Vegeta moved quickly to intercept the blast, deflecting the beam with ease. The taller warrior staggered back in shock for a moment, before he regained his bearings. Normally, Vegeta would have smirked at the man's obvious surprise, but ice water flowed through his veins, freezing his face into a motionless mask. Images of Recoome laughing down at him, as he lay in a pool of his own blood flashed through Vegeta's mind. The taller warrior had beaten the young prince many times throughout his life, taking malicious pleasure in the pain he wrought. Often he had taunted the young man with jeers of 'pipsqueak', tormenting the prince about his small stature.

Recoome grinned down at Vegeta, placing his hands on his hips as he chuckled in delight. "Look who it is. The Monkey Prince has come out to play." Vegeta sneered in disgust at the brainless brute in front of him. The animal that he had barely been able to restrain inside of him since walking out of Frieza's throne room snarled with menace, sensing that it's blood lust was about to be fulfilled.

"Cut the crap, Recoome. Why are you here?" Vegeta hissed. He dreaded the answer that would only confirm his suspicions. If the Ginyu Force was already here looking for the dragon balls, then that meant that Frieza had sent them before summoning Vegeta to his throne room. There was no escaping his fate now. He needed to find the balls and make his wish or everything would be for naught. Her death would be meaningless.

"I'm just doing a little treasure hunting, Princeling. I'm surprised the little woman let you come out to play with the big boys. I thought she had you leashed like some sort of trained monkey." At the mention of Bulma, Vegeta dropped down into a fighting stance and the beast inside became still with expectation. Recoome only laughed confidently, he knew that he was stronger than the prince and his scouter confirmed it.

"Oh that's right. She's dead. Frieza made you kill her." Vegeta inhaled sharply at the older warrior's words. How had Recoome known that? Recoome threw back his head, laughing at his own perverse joke, completely missing the reason that faded from Vegeta's cold eyes only to be replaced with the feral rage of an animal's. White hot fury pumped through his veins and the view of the world around him became coated with a crimson sheen of mania. With an enraged howl Vegeta rushed the unsuspecting warrior, attacking him in a frenzy of blood lust and loathing.

All of the anger that he had kept inside since leaving behind his mate ran unchecked through him. He sank his hands into the warm flesh of his enemy, imagining that the hot blood that spurted onto him was Frieza's. A small part of him whispered that it wasn't Frieza or Recoome that he was ripping apart, but that he was trying to tear a piece of himself out. That he was trying to slay the disgusting monster that was capable of raising a murderous hand to his own mate.

He relived every moment that he was in the throne room. His master's threats as Bulma pleaded with him to end her life. How the weakling inside of him had balked at killing her, while the murderer that he was taunted him for hesitating. He could see the two men of his mind clearly as if they truly existed. One strong and fearless and the other feeble and worthless. Both stared deeply into the sapphire gaze of the fallen woman, killer and lover, unable to turn away, unable to say goodbye.

Warm breath tickled the back of his neck as she wrapped her arms around his hunched shoulders from behind. Words of comfort drifted over him, leaching away his anger, soothing his aching soul. The shards of glass in his mind became duller and the pain lessoned. Gradually, Vegeta regained his senses enough to realize that he was kneeling in something wet and slightly sticky. He looked down to see his hands buried deep within Recoome's chest, his fists tightly clenched around the man's organs. The sensation of Bulma's presence faded as his reason took hold, giving way to the piercing pain in his brain that reappeared. Slowly he withdrew, backing away from the twisted body. Blood soaked the ground underneath Recoome and his face was wrenched into a nearly unrecognizable mask of pain, shock and fear.

Vegeta stared at the body uncomprehendingly for a moment. He remembered Recoome telling him that he was here on Namek treasure hunting, but after that Vegeta's mind was blank. Only darkness remained where the memory of the last few minutes should have been. He had heard of warriors losing themselves to madness, blacking out in the heat of battle, but he never thought he would be victim to such a weakness. Soft murmurs whispered through his mind, followed by piercing pain as steel claws ripped at his brain again. He grimaced, pressing his palm to the side of his head to help relieve the pressure building inside of his skull.

Vegeta glanced down at himself, taking in his bloodstained armor and scarlet gloves. He could feel a warm dampness coating his face as something ran down his cheek to the point of his chin before falling to the ground. Vegeta watched the crimson drop splatter at his feet, its brightness contrasting with the deep green of the grass. He heard a rustle of movement behind him and he spun around growling ferociously at the newest threat.

The green man that Recoome had been fighting froze in place. Nail was a proud warrior that didn't back down from a fight but neither was he stupid. The taller warrior had been much stronger than he and had been on the verge of killing him when the flamed hair man, wearing similar armor stepped between them. Now the smaller man turned on him, pinning him to the ground with merciless obsidian eyes, snarling in warning. Nail was convinced that it wasn't a man that stood before him, but an imposter. A wild beast standing on two legs, masquerading as a man and in a rage it had literally torn the larger warrior apart in a matter of moments. Self preservation bade Nail to remain still and make no threatening movements towards the compact warrior in front of him.

Once Vegeta realized that the man was no threat to him, he relaxed his stance. He found a clean section of his sleeve and used it to wipe the gore from his face before approaching the nervous man. The green warrior scrambled to his feet, taking a step back before raising his fists to ward off his attacker. Vegeta stopped a few feet from the man, gazing at him impassively.

"Tell me what happened here." He demanded arrogantly. The man shifted indecisively at first, before a mulish expression settled on his features. Vegeta swallowed his growl of frustration at the man's stubbornness. _Be nice._ Her voice drifted through his mind a split second before he would have advanced on the man, stalling his instinct to beat the information out of the warrior in front of him. This time he could not hide his sneer and the man gulped before steeling himself. Vegeta felt a flicker of respect for the man's bravery even if it was born from stupidity.

"Let me guess. They came here looking for the Dragon Balls in the name of Lord Frieza?" The man's eyes widened a fraction and he gave an almost unperceivable nod. "And when you refused to give them up, they began to slaughter your people and took them anyways." Again the man nodded hesitantly.

"How many dragon balls do they have?" Vegeta hissed angrily. The man gave Vegeta a long considering look before answering. The other warriors that had came for the dragon balls hadn't bothered to restrain themselves long enough to ask questions, but this man held himself back. He had saved his life, killed his attacker and made no move to harm him. He was the last warrior on his planet and most of his people already laid dead, he didn't know what else to do, but cooperate.

"They have five. They have taken them back to their ship." The man responded in a low voice. Vegeta crossed his arms in front of him and smirked wickedly. The man took an involuntary step back from the blood-soaked demon that stood in front of him, flinching at the hate that gleamed in his cold black eyes.

"Good, that means less work for me." Vegeta pinned the man to the spot in front of him with his ruthless eyes, his aura of cruelty ebbing off of him. "Now tell me, do you know where the last two are?" His voice was soft but with a sharp keen edge that promised pain if the question went unanswered. The man shook his head and Vegeta's eyes became even darker causing the man to shiver. Vegeta advanced a step, stopping when her voice whispered to him. _Don't terrorize the poor man._ As her voice floated through his mind, the pain lessoned and he felt a moment of relief, but as soon as her presence drifted away, the agony crashed down on him even more intensely, nearly buckling his knees. Vegeta remained standing in front of the warrior; the only hint of his pain was a flashing of his black eyes.

"I know that you are lying to me." Vegeta hissed, afraid that if he spoke any louder his head would split in half. Nail refused to give more ground to the dangerous warrior and instead he dropped into a fighting stance, determined to protect the dragon balls. Vegeta heaved a great sigh as his gaze drifted to the horizon. His concentration momentarily lapsed as he wondered what was wrong with him. Saiyans very rarely become sick, yet the pain in his head was intensifying. Perhaps he had been poisoned and he didn't know it, but that didn't explain why he kept hearing her voice. Vegeta's body shuttered slightly as he squashed his wondering thoughts.

With the absence of Vegeta's cold eyes, Nail felt as though a great weight had been lifted off his chest and he was able to take a deep breath, but he quickly exhaled when he become pinned again a second later. Vegeta stared darkly at the man, vengeance burning deep in his eyes.

"You can either help me or I am going to sit back and wait for them to gather up the rest of the dragon balls. I am sure it won't take them long to finish off the rest of your people in their search." Fear raced through the man's body at the truth of Vegeta's words. The other warriors would sweep through the planets remaining populace, decimating everyone in order to procure the dragon balls for their master. He wanted to prevent such a disaster, but he knew that he didn't have the strength to fight the Ginyu Force and he knew that the prince did. Vegeta saw the man's uncertainty and he pressed his point unmercifully. "Make no mistake, someone will be making wishes today. It would be in your best interest that it is me and not Frieza.

Nail looked at Vegeta's armor, noting that it was the same design as the bloody mess that was on the ground. "But you work for Frieza." Vegeta snarled violently at the man's words and the young warrior took a step back, putting more distance between them. The Namek took a steadying breath before asking his next question.

"Why should I trust you?"

Vegeta clenched his fists in anger and he hissed through gritted teeth. "Because I am going to kill that bastard." The young man could see the flames of vengeance blazing in the cold warrior before him. Whether or not the man was evil was not in question, but his desire to kill the mighty lord was visibly apparent. "I will have no need to take what is freely given to me. Lead me to the Dragon Balls and I will leave your remaining people in peace." There was no doubt that Vegeta would use the balls to defeat his master, what happened after that, the Namek couldn't begin to imagine. He was left with very little options. He could tell Vegeta to go fuck himself and end up dead on the ground, leaving the rest of people to face the same fate or he could choose the lesser of two evils.

The Namek dropped his head to his chest overwhelmed with the feeling that he was about to enter into a compact with the Prince of Hell. He nodded his head slightly and Vegeta's tense body relaxed as he realized that the man would give him what he wanted.

"The sixth ball is over there." Nail pointed to a large hut in the center of the village and before he could blink Vegeta phased out only to reappear a moment later with a large golden ball in his hand. He tossed it negligently in the air, before catching it again, smirking with undisguised pleasure.

"Very nice. Now why don't we pay Ginyu a little visit, then we will gather up the last ball." The Namek nodded and took off towards the invaders ship. With any luck the alien warriors would end up killing themselves off and his people would be left in peace.

They landed on a small knoll not far from the small ship and Vegeta grunted in disgust. Now that he was so connected to the universe he couldn't imagine not being able to feel the ki's around him. He knew exactly who was inside of the ship and what level their power was. He felt pity that the pathetic fools couldn't feel him outside, stalking them. Without their scouters they were useless and Vegeta made certain that his power wasn't high enough to register.

The only one inside that could cause him the most amount of trouble was Guldo. His ability to stop time was tricky and Vegeta didn't want to get trapped in his vortex. Vegeta sought out Guldo's signature and he grinned victoriously when he realized that his quarry was alone in an outer room. Vegeta turned to the Namek, quickly relaying his plan before moving into position.

Vegeta stood outside the wall, well out of range of the frog's power as the Namek prepared a blast that would rend apart the steel wall apart, creating a large hole. As expected, as soon as the Namek blew a hole in the side wall, he froze, caught with Guldo's time stopping technique. As the frog stepped out of the hole to deliver the killing blow to the Namek, a blast he never saw, tore through his chest plate, splitting his heart in half. He fell dead to the ground releasing his breath as he did so. Vegeta chuckled as he walked up to the blinking green warrior.

With a perverse satisfaction Vegeta stepped on Guldo's head, relishing the resounding crack of his skull under his foot, followed by a wet squish. Nail blanched and drew away from Vegeta, who didn't notice the man's retreat. As a child Guldo had tormented Vegeta endlessly, flaunting his special ability in front of the young prince. He would freeze Vegeta then walk up and grab his tail, yanking on it unmercifully for hours while the prince writhed on the ground in agony. Vegeta regretted that he didn't have the opportunity to repay the ugly frog for all the pain that he caused him, but he reminded himself that he had a larger goal at hand.

The explosion had alerted the others to an attack and Vegeta could feel their power rise. He stepped back into the open field and the Namek wisely retreated to the knoll to watch the battle unfold. Captain Ginyu, Jeice and Burter appeared by the corpse of their fallen companion, barely sparing him a glance as their gaze fell onto Vegeta who stood with his arms crossed carelessly over his chest, a mocking smirk etched on his cruel lips.

Vegeta surveyed the destruction he had wrought with a cold eye while Jeice and Burter muttered obscenities to themselves. His onyx eyes, burning with the banked fires of hell in their depths locked with the equally chilly gaze of Captain Ginyu. A harsh wind swept through the small valley heralding the clash of wills between the battle-hardened warriors.

As Ginyu watched, Vegeta tilted his head in an arrogant manner, his self satisfied smirk taunting the Captain who hissed in anger at the blatant disrespect that was being displayed. With a snort of disgust, Ginyu gathered the attention of Jeice and Burter who were still murmuring over Guldo's crushed head. The two men straightened and turned to face the ruthless prince. They had spent years tormenting Vegeta as he grew into manhood before their very eyes and they felt confident that it would be an easy task to punish him for his insubordinate behavior.

When Vegeta had first arrived in the Emperor's court, Jeice had been instantly interested in the exotic prince. He had taken a great deal of pleasure in stalking through the darkened halls of the palace, hunting the child like a wild animal. Jeice had an insatiable sexual appetite and he especially delighted in taking young boys to his bed. He had spent many frustrating hours attempting to get the boy alone, but he was always guarded by that bald-headed freak, Nappa. Not long after Vegeta had come to serve under Frieza an order had been issued for the boy not to be touched.

A rumor spread that a nasty incident had occurred in the Emperor's bed chambers that the young prince had barely recovered from. Since then, Jeice had been forced to take out his frustrations in verbal sneers and physical jabs, forever unable to satisfy his burning need for the young prince. Even now that Vegeta was a grown man he had not lost his allure.

Jeice's lips pulled back into a feral grin as realization dawned on him. Now that Vegeta had fallen out of Frieza's favor he was no longer protected by royal decree. Jeice's eyes glinted maliciously as he imagined the ways he could repay the prince for all of the years of denied pleasure he had suffered through. Vegeta recognized the gleam in Jeice's eyes and he shuddered in disgust. As a boy he hadn't understood why the orange alien had followed him around constantly with a lusty grin on his face. It wasn't until Frieza had taken him aside and showed him what real depravity was that he understood.

A night in the Emperor's bed chambers had taught the young prince a lesson he had never forgotten about evil. He had been unable to control his fear and he had nearly destroyed half the palace in his terror driven frenzy. Frieza had to knock him unconscious to stop him from practically imploding in on himself and by then he was so bloody from his master's attentions that he had to be taken to the Regeneration Tank. His very first sexual experience and first trip to the tank were irrevocably tied together in his mind. After that the Emperor decreed that no one was to touch Vegeta. Frieza had decided that the prince was worth more as a soldier for the empire than as a half dead concubine.

Vegeta sneered at the dangerous pedophile while switching his attention to the cobalt colored Burter. He almost felt the need to thank the man. It was because of the speed demon that Vegeta had pushed himself to become faster. Burter had taken time out of his busy schedule almost every day to remind the young prince that he would never be fast enough to avoid certain death. If his reflexes could not compare to his opponents then it wouldn't matter how strong he was. If you couldn't hit your enemy then you could not defeat them. Burter would corner the boy in some portion of the ship or in the hallways of the palace and taunt the child into near tears. Every time Vegeta tried to fly past the much faster adult he would be slammed into the floor or the wall. To his credit, Burter never really physically harmed Vegeta; he just tore down his self worth a little everyday.

After every encounter, Vegeta would retreat to the training room and scream at Nappa to teach him to be faster. The older man would stare grimly down at the young boy and nod his head wearily, unable to do anything to help his prince's plight other than train him even harder and regale him with tales of the Legendary. The bodyguard had convinced the prince at a young age that he was destined to be Super and he would be the one to avenge his race and destroy the evil tyrant Frieza.

Now as he stood across the battlefield from his tormenters he did not feel the ripple of pleasure that he had expected at the prospect of killing them. Yes, he wanted the wet feel of their blood on his hands, anything to wipe away the memory of her body lying on the floor, but he wanted something more. Perhaps only Frieza's death would fill the emptiness that spread inside of him. A cool breeze swept through the field again, ruffling his hair. He could almost feel the sensation of Bulma running her hands through his mane in a soothing manner. A frown creased his brow and with steely determination he shook the phantom touch away. It was nothing but a figment of his imagination and he had no time to be distracted by fantasies. As her fingers trailed away the pain in his skull spiked and he inhaled sharply. If the pain did not abate soon, he was going to collapse under the assault. Only when he thought of her did the pain go away.

The remaining Ginyu Force did not see Vegeta's discomfort; instead Jeice and Burter readied themselves for an attack. He was so caught up in his thoughts, Vegeta almost didn't noticed when the two men launched themselves at him. They sped towards him with blinding speed, but suddenly Vegeta felt impatient. He knew causing the two men to suffer, repaying them for all the grief they had caused should make him feel satisfaction, but he could not rouse the feeling inside of him. He only wanted the Namakian balls so he could be on his way.

With an almost negligent disregard, he flung ki blasts at the oncoming men, shooting them out of the air, like fish in a barrel. They fell to the ground with a heavy thud and Captain Ginyu inhaled deeply with shock. Vegeta advanced on the leader with a disinterested air as he passed between the two fallen warriors. He didn't notice as Jeice used the last of his strength to reach out for the prince's booted heel, trying desperately to at least touch the object of his obsession one last time before he left this dimension. His empty fingers curled into the dust as Vegeta strode by untouched as the last breath left Jeice's body.

The two hardened warriors faced each other in the field of battle. A grudging respect lit the Captain's eye, but his gnarled features remained impassive. Now that they stood only a few feet apart Ginyu could see the lines of strain around the Prince's cold eyes. Something was wrong with the younger man, but he was uncertain of what it was. Perhaps the decision that him and Frieza had made to have the blue haired woman killed was a mistake. It seemed to have the same effect on Vegeta as breaking the leash on a rabid animal. It freed Vegeta from any calming influences the female may have had on his psyche, allowing him to begin a slow descent into madness.

Vegeta glared at the man, barely standing under the constant waves of pain that was swamping him. He allowed himself to think briefly of Bulma and the pain abated for a moment, allowing him to think clearly. The more he considered his problem the more he became convinced that he hadn't been poisoned. He feared that he was suffering some sort of psychological backlash from forming a complete telepathic link with Bulma only seconds before killing her. He didn't know how much worse his affliction would become or how long he had before he completely buckled under the strain, all he knew was that he had a mission to complete. He glared at the man before him; conviction of faith gleaming in his blazing eyes. Her faith that he would defeat Frieza no matter the cost.


	25. Haunting

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its characters. I just enjoy bringing my own fantasy world to life where Vegeta rules and Goku drools.

A/N: Oh the pain! The suffering! I'm talking about me here, not Vegeta. All this fighting is hard. Give me a lemon and I will make you lemonade. Give me martial arts and I will give you a bowl of popcorn and the Matrix dvd. I suck at this kind of stuff. I was just prancing along writing my little love story, when WHAM, I've got all these extra characters and I have to give them personalities. I mean what kind of relationship did Vegeta have with these people in the first place? Bleh! My head hurts. wimpers like a pathetic mewling weakling

Chapter Twenty Five

Haunting

"I always knew you would end up betraying our Lord, you filthy monkey." Ginyu sneered at Vegeta with disdain. They stood stiffly facing each other from across the open field as the wind blew by. To an outside observer it may seem as though both men were bored, but on careful inspection you could see that the warriors were primed for battle.

Vegeta's eyes narrowed at Ginyu's words and his lips twisted as he snarled in response, "He was never my lord." Vegeta spat out the last word like it had left a bitter taste on his tongue.

"The strongest is always the Lord," intoned Ginyu, "If you can not defeat him on the battlefield then you must bow to him in the throne room."

Vegeta tensed and the air vibrated around him. He could feel the blinding waves of pain crashing down on him and his shoulders knotted with the intensity. His pale face flushed with anger as he said the words that he had wanted to say since he was a boy.

"I will never kneel to him again. He is my enemy and I will kill him!" Vegeta's voice rose with anger, but Ginyu just laughed heartily.

"Why, because he made you kill off that slut?" Ginyu scoffed.

"Shut up!" Vegeta roared as he raised his fists and dropped down into a fighting stance.

Ginyu ignored the irate prince and continued with his taunting, satisfied that he found the key to enraging Vegeta. He had been slightly intimidated when the younger warrior first appeared, dripping from head to toe in blood, but he quickly regained his bravado. "I can see why you would be upset by her loss. From what Frieza told me, she was a little spitfire in bed."

Vegeta felt his fury seething inside of him, bleeding into his eyes, turning them red. He tried desperately to block the images of Bulma's tear-stained face from his mind. He didn't want to think about what happened to her before he met her. The agony in his skull spiked and he wavered under the assault. For a moment he feared that he wouldn't be able to stand up long enough to rip Ginyu apart.

"Frieza was pretty disappointed when we made the decision to kill her. But she just got too mouthy, you know. We both know that a woman's place is in the bed chamber, bound and gagged." Ginyu smirked perversely.

"SHUT UP!" Vegeta shouted again and took a step towards the offensive man. The pain swept across Vegeta's vision, dropping a black curtain over his eyesight. He paused, pressing the heel of his palm into his eye, attempting to rub out the darkness.

Ginyu leered, "He said that after they left Primus she was even hotter in bed. You must have taught her some new tricks."

Unexpectedly the pain in Vegeta's head receded like the ocean tide, freeing his mind from its suffocating embrace. He was assailed with a familiar aroma and he felt his gut clench in response to the intoxicating scent. He looked to the side and saw the most mesmerizing sight, an angel, glinting in the golden sunlight, shimmering with forgotten promises. His mate sat on a large red rock, dressed in the scintillating blue gown she had worn to the dance. The sun shone down on her, illuminating her ivory hued skin and highlighting her teal hair. She looked untouched and pristine, like he remembered her.

She leaned over to toy with the gold strap of her shoe and her long hair slid forward to conceal her features for a moment. His heated gaze was drawn to the smooth skin of her calf and down to her painted toes. Vegeta shifted in her direction, the urgency to touch her clawing at his insides. He wanted to stride up to her, sweeping the hair from her face and kiss her until the sun set below the horizon. To hell with everything else, all he wanted was just one moment alone with her. Before he could move to fulfill his desire, she sat up again, leaning back against the rock, propping herself up on her elbows. She turned her face up to the sun, soaking in its warm rays.

Vegeta was awed by her sheer beauty and he felt contentment unfurl in his chest. Her head lolled to the side and her cerulean eyes locked with his causing his breath to catch in his throat. A slow sensuous smile curled on her lips as one eyelid slid down into a sly wink.

He felt an answering smile begin to feather across his lips but reality brutally slapped him in the face and he froze in place. She couldn't be sitting there. He had left her back on Capital World. She was dead and he had murdered her. She was nothing but a figment of his sordid imagination. Hearing voices were one thing, now he had graduated to hallucinations.

"You aren't really here," he whispered. Her lower lip protruded into a sulky pout as her image shattered into glinting fragments of dust and blew away into the wind.

"Of course I am here, you idiot." Ginyu's rough voice drew Vegeta back to the present. He glared at the older warrior desperately trying to remember the last thing that Ginyu had said to him. He knew it was something that he should be angry about, but for the life of him he couldn't remember.

His strained muscles had relaxed while he sat gazing at his beautiful mate, but now they began to tense again as he glared at the ogre in front of him. Most of the blinding pain had disappeared, but he could feel it building again in the back of his skull.

Ginyu stared at Vegeta, a small frown creasing his brow. The prince stood defiantly on the battlefield, still caked in Recoome's drying blood, staining his usually fastidiously clean uniform a deep scarlet color. Even as a child, Vegeta had never been quite right. Most every soldier in Frieza's army had some sort of outlet for their frustrations. Whether it was sex, killing for pleasure or even going to the bar and throwing a couple back, it didn't matter. Every depravity was accepted while you served under the mighty Lord, so you could indulge in whatever fetish that struck your fancy. Anything to get your mind off your job was the company motto. The things you were forced to do while serving under Frieza would torment even the darkest of souls and it was important that the men had hobbies. But Vegeta, he had never participated in any of those activities. He would perform his duties with exceptional skill and then come back to the base and train with unremitting fanaticism. He never broke his routine, he never allowed himself to relax. Not until that woman came along.

"I knew it was only a matter of time before you went off the deep end, Vegeta. You never knew how to have a little fun."

"I wonder why that is." Vegeta hissed.

Both men were pulled back into the memories of the past at his snide words. Frieza had originally taken Vegeta away from his family to punish the Saiyans for their unruliness. It was common practice to take the children of another ruling household as a hostage for good behavior; therefore not a lot of thought had gone into Vegeta's presence at the royal court. However, King Vegeta had gotten the brilliant notion to rebel against the tyrant, thus sealing his fate and his people's. After that Frieza was left with the monkey spawn and no real idea what to do with him. It had been Ginyu's opinion that Frieza should just kill off the brat and his bodyguards. The only good Saiyan was a dead Saiyan. They were nothing but filthy, dirty animals anyways.

The lusty tyrant's first inclination was to sample the virgin wares, but that had ended in disaster. Frieza had no idea how strong the young prince actually was and that oversight cost him millions of credits in repairs to his palace. The Emperor had been impressed by the boy's sheer strength and instead of making him into a concubine as he originally intended he turned him over to Captain Ginyu.

At the time Ginyu Force hadn't yet been promoted to the status of elite royal bodyguards. They were in fact, the top planetary purgers under Frieza. Ginyu's team was the best at what they did and nothing brought them more pleasure than annihilating a world in the name of their Lord. Much to Ginyu's disgust, Frieza ordered him to train Vegeta in the art of destruction.

"It's not my fault you were such a slow learner, Vegeta. I'm surprised you made it this far after the way you behaved on your first mission." Ginyu sneered with malevolent pleasure at reminding Vegeta of his weakness.

Vegeta hissed and his fists clenched at his sides. The first purge mission that Vegeta had participated in had been on a peaceful planet by the name of Merrian. Vegeta rarely remembered the names of the planets he had visited, but he would never forget that one.

Jeice had taunted him endlessly on the way there, telling him with salacious delight that Vegeta would enjoy having his cherry popped. The young boy hadn't understood what the older warrior meant until much later in life.

The mission proceeded normally enough and although Vegeta was disgusted by the chaos, he mindlessly obeyed his orders. It was easy to blast cities or topple buildings from a distance without actually having to look at the people that scurried like ants below him.

After most of the world had been destroyed, the Force had taken him aside, leading him into one of the last standing buildings in an annihilated city. As they walked in, Jeice's face split into a large grin and he rubbed his hands together with anticipation. Vegeta tried to ignore the sinking sensation in the pit of his stomach and schooled his young features into an impassive mask. A skill he perfected over the coming years.

Inside a handful of children were gathered in a large room. Most were younger than Vegeta's ten years, but one or two were his age. They huddled together against the back wall, their eyes wide as they whimpered like helpless animals.

Recoome slapped him heartily on the back while grinning down at him, "The spoils of war, princeling. Eat up."

Jeice laughed gaily as he strode up to the huddled children. They screamed in terror and scattered like cockroaches, but a small boy about six wasn't fast enough to escape. Jeice swept him up into his arms and threw him face first over the back of a wooden chair. Recoome grabbed a little girl about Vegeta's age as well, pulling her down with him to the floor while he shredded her flowered dress.

Ginyu propped himself up against the wall and watched Vegeta intensely, who struggled with his rising fear. The memories of Frieza's clawed hands on the backs of his legs were still fresh in his mind and the cries of the children mingled with his own in his head.

"What's the matter, prince? Don't see anything you like?" Ginyu asked softly while malice burned in his eyes.

Vegeta shook his head frailly, unable to give voice to his terror. Jeice looked up from the struggling boy, whose hips he had tightly clenched in his fists. "Maybe he's too scared to get it up or is he still too young?" The orange alien mocked. The small boy turned his head and his dark brown eyes streaming with tears locked with Vegeta's. The boy's mouth was wrenched open in a voiceless scream and Vegeta felt an answering panic spawn deep inside his chest.

"Stop it!" He yelled with all his might, giving voice to the words the young children pinned under the monsters could not. Recoome paused his brutal mauling of the young girl, glancing up at the Saiyan prince. The room was shocked into silence for a moment as everyone looked incredulously at the fierce boy. A large smile stretched across Recoome's face a moment before he threw back his head to howl with laughter. Soon all the members of the Force joined in the hilarity and the young prince backed away a step before regrouping.

"STOP IT!" Vegeta roared while raising his hand to form a ki blast. For many years afterwards, he told himself that he was aiming for Jeice and that he was unsteady from his upset, but deep inside he knew the truth. His aim was true and his target had been the dark eyed boy whose silent screams called to him. With one blast he obliterating the face of the child, erasing the memories his tear-stained countenance dredged up inside of him. Before the squad could react to his startling behavior, Vegeta struck out again. This time he aimed for all the children as they stampeded like terror stricken animals.

Within a moments time, all of the youngsters lay amid their own blood as their lifeless eyes glared accusingly at the prince. Even the Ginyu Force stared awe-struck at the fearsome child. Vegeta drew great panting breaths as he absorbed the carnage that he had wrought. His stomach roiled in protest and he quickly turned away, leaning one hand on the wall while he bent over to heave his stomach contents onto the dirty floor.

After that Vegeta behaved recklessly on every purge mission that they went on, maniacally raining down terror on the huddled masses, while completely disregarding his own safety. Ginyu was forced to baby-sit the disgusting monkey, constantly watching him to make sure he didn't kill himself while trying to train him to survive at the same time. Often over the years he felt tempted to kill the little bastard himself and return to Frieza with some falsehood of the prince's stupidity. In the end he always stayed his hand. No matter how well you concealed your lie, Frieza always found out.

However, Frieza never said that the monkey prince couldn't be disciplined and Ginyu did so every chance he got. He would have the prince beaten bloody for the slightest indiscretion, mostly by Recoome, since Ginyu refused to touch the filthy beast for fear of catching something. Ginyu often had Vegeta punished because he was laughing at some inane joke made by the other men and soon the prince stopped laughing. He just stopped everything. It was like Vegeta had come to a decision, an understanding within himself. He was even completely unfeeling on the missions, where previously he had basked in an unabashed delight at causing mayhem. The only emotions he seemed to display were anger, pride and unflinching determination to become stronger.

"I learned fast enough to take your job over, Ginyu." Vegeta taunted the man before him. With every memory that Ginyu dredged up, Vegeta felt the pain in his head increase. As he relived that day on Merrian, it felt as though razors were shredding the soft flesh of his brain, ripping away the last remnants of his sanity.

Vegeta had spent three years under Ginyu's tender care, learning the ins and outs of planetary annihilation. Vegeta learned at an amazing rate and his strength at thirteen rivaled most full grown adults. Much to Ginyu's ire, Frieza removed Vegeta from his unit and gave him his own command. Soon the little brat-ling was competing with Ginyu to become the best in the field. With only two men under his leadership, Vegeta easily excelled at his job, shaming Ginyu who needed at least four men to do the same amount of work. His heartless demeanor intimidated the other soldiers and his worth grew in the bloodthirsty warlord's eyes, granting him honors that only Ginyu had previously tasted. In another year at the young age of fourteen, Vegeta became the Commander of the purge teams and Ginyu's Force was promoted to elite bodyguards.

More like chained pets, Ginyu thought more than once. Because of Vegeta, he had lost his freedom to roam the galaxies; instead he was leashed to Frieza's throne, never allowed to leave the lizard's side, unless sent on rare missions like this one. Although Ginyu enjoyed even more privileges as Frieza's protector, he resented every minute of it. His job was redundant and he knew it. The powerful tyrant could easily kill a man ten times stronger than Ginyu, but the Lord insisted on keeping up appearances. A mighty ruler should have all the pomp and circumstance of an entourage surrounding him at all times. It was Vegeta's fault that he was nothing more than a leashed dog, snarling at whomever the Emperor pointed at. Ginyu gnashed his teeth as the old resentment boiled inside of him.

Arrogant was the most common term people used to describe the prince. He completed his missions stoically, trained endlessly, brushing others away as if they were beneath him. Even in Frieza's presence he was barely civil, much to Ginyu's disgust. That was what really galled Ginyu. No matter how badly Vegeta misbehaved, Frieza never killed him. Vegeta would receive his punishment, hardly phased by the torture and then Frieza would send him out once again as though nothing had happened

Then Vegeta had been caught participating in worst possible crime, treason. He plotted against the Emperor with that double crossing bitch and what had happened? Nothing! Freiza had beaten Vegeta bloody, like usual and then sent him off to purge another world. Granted, Vegeta was not supposed to survive the mission, but when he had returned after spending a month ignoring Frieza's commands to report to duty, nothing had happened! Frieza laughed! He just laughed at the monkey's antics, like it was a show purely for his amusement.

Stunned, Ginyu had bravely questioned Frieza about his reaction and the Emperor graciously answered him, instead of frying him on the spot. He said that he felt that Vegeta displayed remarkable intelligence by blowing up the planet, thus avoiding his trap and that it was about time that the prince let loose a little, even he was off brooding on some dingy backwater world.

Ginyu had been enraged. If he had blown up a world that he was suppose to purge he would have been executed, but that tailed freak got away with it. He thumbed his nose at the Emperor for a month while mourning the loss of the blue haired bitch and Frieza chuckled about it. It was so completely unfair.

To make matters worse, Vegeta was still allowed to venture out to other worlds, rarely having to be subjected to the tyrant's whims. It made Ginyu sick. While in Frieza's constant presence Ginyu had to be perfect. Loyal, polished, and schooled in court etiquette. He was never allowed to slip up or it would mean his head, while that dirty monkey got to prance around the universe doing as he pleased.

"Frieza should have killed you along with the rest of your race. It's just my luck to have to serve a ruler with a sick sense of humor. He thought it was uproariously funny to watch you purge hundreds of worlds, the same way yours was purged." Years of Ginyu's hate and frustration spilled over into his words, stabbing Vegeta with every syllable.

Vegeta's growl could be heard all the way to the knoll where Nail sat watching the exchange. Most of the warrior's words were snatched away by the whispering wind, but he could see the tension building in both men as their ki snapped and sparked around them.

"My world wasn't purged. Frieza had to blow it up from space like some sort of spineless coward." Vegeta sneered with equal vehemence and Ginyu stiffened at the insult to his ruler. "He would never risk marring his scaly hide in combat. Is that why you are here Ginyu? Did he send his lap dog off to die?" Vegeta's words were sharp and smooth like a finely honed sword, slicing at his enemy with calculating efficiency.

Captain Ginyu hissed at Vegeta's snide remarks and his muscles bunched in anticipation of shoving the prince's words back down his throat. Through clenched teeth he snarled his reply, "I am not his lap dog, you filthy beast. Frieza will be along any time now so I had better get rid of you. I wouldn't want him to have to suffer your smell." Ginyu's fists clenched as he dropped down into a crouch, but Vegeta's black eyes burning from behind the mask of dried blood on his face stopped him. He had never seen malice and fury in the eyes of another the way it blazed from Vegeta.

"When will he be here?" Vegeta hissed, completely ignoring the other warrior's stance. The euphoria of facing his enemy in battle sooner than expected and the constant pain in his head caused him to waver slightly on his feet. Ginyu cocked an eye, noticing the prince's unstable footing and he straightened. He had witnessed Vegeta's growing strength and although he was confident that he was still stronger, he didn't want to waste his energy if he didn't have too. Perhaps if he kept conversing with Vegeta long enough he would collapse under the weight of the demons that were hounding him.

"Within the hour I expect. He left right after you." Ginyu crossed his arms over his chest, smirking with pleasure. Now that he knew that the prince was ill, he fully intended to sit back and enjoy the show.

The pain in Vegeta's head began building into a crescendo and he desperately tried to follow along with the conversation. Ginyu's smirking visage became a blur and Vegeta ran a hand through his hair as he drew a ragged breath.

"How do you know?" Vegeta latched onto the easiest question and spit it out while trying to focus on the older man.

"He sent me a communiqué right after you left the throne room. He was quite proud of you and it's going to pain me to have to tell him of your backstabbing ways. He thought for sure that you were a loyal subject after the way you took care of that whore." Ginyu watched with narrowed eyes at the effect his words were having on Vegeta. He noticed with satisfaction that when he mentioned the woman, Vegeta seemed to stagger slightly.

Ginyu's words brought memories crashing down onto Vegeta and the pain intensified until he felt like screaming in agony. Something flickered in the corner of his eye and he turned his head sharply to the left. Standing next to him was his mate. She was staring distantly at the horizon as though she didn't see Vegeta. She was dressed in the same clothes that she had worn in the throne room and a small wisp of smoke trailed up from the charred hole in her chest.

Instead of the pain in his head lessoning at the sight of her, it spiked sharply when he saw the devastating reminder of his betrayal. He clenched his eyes shut for a moment, telling himself that she wasn't real. She was nothing more than a pain induced hallucination.

"Did she tell you about Namek?" Vegeta directed his question towards Ginyu, his eyes still tightly shut.

Ginyu snorted softly, "I'll give you one thing. She was one tight-lipped woman when it came to her secrets. We had to get the information from some guy by the name of Jace." Ginyu laughed softly, "A man can only scream so much before he starts begging to tell you everything he knows."

Vegeta's brow knitted as he thought about the brown haired scientist that was always by Bulma's side. He had smelt the man's undying devotion to Bulma and Vegeta knew that it would have taken a lot of pain before he would have shared her secrets. However if they tortured Jace did that mean…

"But Bulma didn't tell you?" Vegeta questioned softly.

Ginyu chuckled again, "Nope, talk about pain tolerance. She sure had a mouth on her though."

Vegeta felt a shift in the wind and his eyes snapped open to stare directly into her sapphire ones. She looked straight at him, unseeing and uncaring. What sort of pain had she endured while in Frieza's care? Is that why she was standing here now? Was she a ghost? Was she tied to this plane, unable to travel to the next world?

Briefly he thought of her message that she had left him. According to her she had an appointment to keep with the God, King Yamma. She shouldn't be here with him. She deserved some measure of peace in the other world.

"Don't you have some place to be?" He asked softly, staring at the beautiful woman that his subconscious couldn't seem to let go of. At his words her imaged wavered in the air, fading into nothingness.

"You're right. I need to kill you off so I can finish up gathering the balls for Lord Frieza." Ginyu's words invaded Vegeta's mind, but he still did not glance at the Captain. Instead he stared dejectedly at the spot where Bulma had stood, barely upright from the waves of pain washing over him.

Ginyu watched the silent man for a moment and a small shiver crawled down his spine. Perhaps Vegeta really was going insane? After all this time, he had finally snapped. Ginyu almost felt a small amount of pity. Over the years he had tormented Vegeta endlessly, but privately he was a little awed by the prince's ability to persevere no matter what. It really was a shame that such a proud warrior would be struck down by madness.

"I should have killed you years ago Vegeta, before it came to this. I always knew a filthy Saiyan couldn't be trusted and now you are just pathetic." Vegeta shifted so his dark eyes pierced Ginyu. Just the slight movement of turning his head caused the world around Vegeta to whirl dangerously and he felt something wet drip down his lip. He slowly raised his hand and brushed away the moisture, feeling a moment of concern when he realized that his nose was bleeding.

Ginyu continued to talk and Vegeta looked back up at him, but his words were drowned out by the roaring in his head. As he watched, Bulma walked out from behind the much larger Ginyu, dressed in the red dress he had not seen since he murdered Magin. Her face lit up in a radiant smile and he almost didn't notice the droplets of blood scattered over her pale countenance.

At her appearance the clamor in his head died down and the pain mercifully drained away, leaving him free to draw a deep breath. She took a step back from Ginyu, inspecting him from head to foot with a smirk of superiority. Vegeta could see Ginyu's mouth moving, but he still couldn't hear the words. Bulma glanced over at him while jabbing her thumb in the Captain's direction.

"He talks too much."

At the sound of her voice, Vegeta almost collapsed in shock. Hallucinations were one thing, now he was seeing things and hearing the voices too along with them. Absently he pondered the annoying question nagging at the back of his mind. Do crazy people know when they are insane?

"He's in our way, darling. You need to take care of him, just like you did Magin."

Almost robotically, Vegeta nodded in agreement. She was right. He was wasting precious time sitting here talking to his old mentor. He had more important things to be doing. He had to prepare for Frieza's arrival. She graced him with another beautiful smile before walking out of sight behind Ginyu once again. As she disappeared, Ginyu's words invaded Vegeta's world with startling volume.

"…nothing but a disgusting, filthy monkey." Ginyu trailed off when Vegeta's diamond hard eyes locked onto him. The prince's cruel lips stretched into a feral smile that caused Ginyu's stomach to lurch.

"She's right. You talk too much." Vegeta hissed.

Ginyu felt the small hairs on the back of his neck stand on end as his mind scrambled for an answer to who _she_ was. Before he could ask the bloody man in front of him, Vegeta launched himself at Ginyu with unnatural speed.

He barely had time to bring up his arms to block the flurry of blows that pushed him back. He was stunned at Vegeta's strength. Frieza had assured him that the monkey prince was no stronger than Jeice, but his Lord had obviously been wrong.

For every blow that he blocked, Vegeta pummeled him with two more. He felt his ribs snap under the assault and he tasted the hot metallic sting of blood in his mouth. How could this have happened? How did Vegeta become so strong? He thought for sure that the warrior was about to collapse on the field, but now he was attacking with a savage fury.

With every blow Vegeta landed he felt the anger rising inside of him. The man before him was responsible for initiating him into his bloodthirsty world. Ginyu was the one who taught him that a gut wound would leave your enemy alive, writhing in agony until they eventually bleed to death. An honorable warrior shouldn't know such things but Vegeta did and he knew so much more. He knew things about pain and torture that he never wanted to know and it was because of Ginyu.

Vegeta spun gracefully in mid air, dodging a right hook carelessly thrown by the Captain. Vegeta's fist connected solidly with the man's side, and the prince cackled vindictively when he felt his enemy's ribs crack. Ginyu grunted and he lashed out with his foot, landing a blow to Vegeta's head. The prince didn't move and only smirked condescendingly before launching his own attack. Ginyu stumbled back, shocked at Vegeta's resilience and at the pain he felt radiating up his leg from connecting with the unyielding demon.

A warrior to the end, Ginyu quickly ascertained that he would not be able to defeat Vegeta in hand to hand combat. He noticed that with every blow, Vegeta became more and more unhinged with battle lust. Desperate to survive, Ginyu waited until Vegeta was directly in front of him, howling with rage. In a frantic bid, Ginyu opened his mouth to begin his special body snatching technique.

Vegeta saw through Ginyu's ploy and he was not fooled. The body that stood before him now, was not the person that Vegeta originally met. Over the years, Ginyu had switched bodies at least three times and Vegeta had the dubious honor of witnessing at least one of the events.

At the last moment Vegeta dodged to the right, stretching out his leg to connect brutally with the side of his mentor's face. Ginyu's head whipped dramatically to the left with a crack, only the strong corded muscles in his neck prevented it from snapping.

Ginyu fell back stunned and Vegeta leapt on the opportunity. His iron fist slammed into Ginyu's breast plate, cracking the hard armor and plunging into the hot depths of his chest. Vegeta's questing fingers wrapped around Ginyu's pulsating heart and with a roar of victory, Vegeta tore it from the bloody hole he created.

Ginyu grasped his chest, dropping to his knees as he watched Vegeta with shock. The prince sneered down at him while holding his still pumping heart in his palm. As the darkness claimed him and he slumped forward his last thought was that perhaps Vegeta was strong enough to kill the scaly bastard that ruled all their lives. As he slipped into the next dimension he carried with him a silent prayer to the Gods that Vegeta would destroy the monster that he had served for so long.

Vegeta watched Ginyu fall to the dust while he clenched the man's heart in his hand. Her familiar scent wafted over to him and he looked over to see Bulma standing at his side. Her teal tresses blew in the wind as she smoothed the red dress down over her thighs. She smiled brightly at him and he answered with his own wicked smirk before he sank his teeth into dripping mass he held.

In the distance, Nail swallowed fearfully. This warrior, this man, that stood before him on the battlefield was not sane. He was a wild animal whose cage someone forgot to lock. Now he was loose and feeding on the terror that his presence evoked. Nail took a step back, intending to flee the scene when a soft voice stalled him.

_Bring him to me._

_But father…_

_All will be well, my son._

Nail gulped and nodded slowly. He would obey, but he did not agree.


	26. The Pain of Pride

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ. If I did I would have made sure that Vegeta got more air time.

A/N:

Interlude for X

Bulma scanned the arid desert as she licked her parched lips. "My kingdom for a glass of lemonade." She rasped as she collapsed into the man's arms.

Vegeta caught the delicate woman to his muscular chest, savoring her rounded curves that were cradled against him. Her wide cerulean eyes shot up to meet his obsidian ones and her pink lips parted with surprise. Her small hand rested next to his heart and he shivered as she slid her warm palm up over his wide shoulder. Her pale fingers curled around the back of his neck, drawing him closer.

Bulma felt tremors of anticipation course through her as her body ached for the hard warrior who held her tight. Her heart pounded and precious little oxygen found its way into her lungs. His lips dipped near hers as her fingers delved into his upswept ebony hair. Their eyes locked both burning with desire. "Soon all of your thirsts will be quenched." He promised huskily.

Can you just see the cheesy romance novel cover?

Chapter Twenty-Six

The Pain of Pride

Nail slowly approached the blood-soaked man who stood silently next to the fallen warrior. At first the prince didn't notice as he drew nearer, seemingly immersed in his own thoughts, but then his hard eyes pinned him down, flashing with annoyance.

"I thought you would have taken off by now." Vegeta growled at the emerald man.

Nail swallowed, desperately wishing that he had left behind the fearsome demon, but his duty urged him on. "We had a deal," he whispered the words with little conviction.

Vegeta grunted before turning on his heel to gather up the dragon ball he had dropped on the ground during the fight. Without a word he strode towards the ship, the slight ki signatures of the other balls leading him. Nail followed behind at a safe distance.

"What a nice young man he is. So polite, but I think he's afraid of you. Well that's nothing new." Bulma kept pace alongside of Vegeta, her endless chatter echoing down the corridors as they entered the ship.

"Did you know that Namekians only drink water? Of course you did, it was on the data chip I gave you. You have to wonder how they keep such healthy physiques only on a liquid diet." As Bulma walked along she primped her hair, examining herself in the metal walls that were polished into a mirror like shine.

Vegeta glanced at her from the corner of his eye, growling at her inane comments. He knew she wasn't there, but it didn't make her any less annoying. As he looked over he saw his reflection and he was slightly appalled. He was drenched in blood, his uniform stained red and his face was caked in a scarlet mask. His black eyes blazed heatedly from the dark shadows of his face and with some concern he noted that they were blood shot. He needed to find a wash room and the medical bay.

Nail's heart lurched as the prince in front of him growled for no reason and he slowed his pace to put even more distance between them. After a few twists and turns they entered a small room and found the five dragon balls lying carelessly on the floor. Nail entered behind Vegeta, sliding along the wall in an effort to stay as far away from the prince as possible.

Bulma pranced up to the balls with a large grin of delight as she clapped her hands together. "Look how pretty they are!" She bounced happily in a ditzy manner she sometimes adopted when she was especially pleased about something. She always told him that she was channeling her mother in those moments.

Nail stepped forward to gather up the balls nearly brushing up against Bulma as he did so. A ferocious growl sounded from the door and Nail froze in terror. Slowly he turned around to see Vegeta glaring murderously at him. Nail held his hands up in supplication while trying to explain his actions.

"You can't carry all the dragon balls by yourself. I was just helping." Nail said softly while watching the other man carefully.

Vegeta knew that he must look irrational in the other warrior's eyes and it angered him beyond belief. He was feared on the battlefield because of his strength, not because people thought he was insane, yet here he was acting like a mad man. From under hooded lids he watched as Bulma skipped from one ball to the other, completely ignoring the two warriors in the room.

When Nail stepped close to her, Vegeta had reacted on instinct. His first thought was that no male should be that close to his mate, but that was quickly followed up by the logical realization that she was dead and not really there in the first place.

What truly disturbed Vegeta was that he didn't want Nail walking up to her, because she was dead. Vegeta understood that she was his hallucination, which only he could see or hear, but the more he forced that idea onto himself the more his subconscious mind rebelled. How do you prove if something is real or not? If you can see it, does that mean it's real? Obviously not. Same went for being able to hear it as well. Just because he could see and hear Bulma didn't mean she was really there, but that didn't stop the darkest part of him that yearned for her to exist in this dimension. A small piece of him needed her to be there, needed to believe that she wasn't a figment of his demented imagination.

Vegeta convinced himself that the only way you could know if something was real was by touching it. If you could feel something solid under your hand, then it must be there. However, if Nail walked through Bulma as if she was nothing but air, then it would prove to the prince once and for all that he was insane. More devastatingly, it proved that she wasn't really there with him and that very small, desperate part of Vegeta wasn't ready to face that reality yet.

Vegeta squelched the nagging desire that was blooming inside of him and forced himself to think clearly. There was no room for doubt in the coming battle and if he was going to overcome this newest weakness then he needed to figure out why it was happening.

"Take the dragon balls and wait for me outside." Vegeta ordered the nervous man.

Nail nodded and quickly snatched up three of the balls, scurrying to the exit. Curiosity made him pause outside the room and lean up against the wall, quietly listening while out of sight of the prince.

"What are you going to do now? I hope it involves a bath," Bulma held her nose while flashing Vegeta a disgusted look, "You stink."

Vegeta snarled at the false image of his lover, "Shut up, I can't think with your incessant chatter ringing in my head."

Bulma tossed her hair and turned her back on the prince, "Well you don't have to be so rude about it. It's not my fault you haven't figured out the key to becoming stronger."

"Even when you are dead you can't stop talking," Vegeta hissed.

Nail felt his skin grow cold as small shivers of fear crawled along his flesh. The prince was talking to an empty room as if someone was really there. Slowly he backed away from the wall, quickly turning the corner.

Vegeta felt Nail's ki and he stepped to the door to look down the already vacant corridor.

"You know Vegeta, it's not paranoia if they are out to get you." Bulma giggled as she made the joke at his expense.

Vegeta stared out into the abandoned hall, frustration and anger spilling through him. The alien had heard him speaking to himself. He had been so distracted by Bulma he hadn't even noticed that he was still outside the door like he should have. Vegeta rubbed his hand across his creased brow as he tried to think.

He was suffering from some sort of illness that caused him immense pain. For some reason his mind created images of Bulma in order to circumvent that pain. That had to be the explanation as to why she was there. As the pain increased the visions of her escalated until it seemed as though she really was there conversing with him.

He tried to ignore her but his body reacted involuntarily to her presence. He couldn't afford to have some fantasy running rampant on the battlefield while he was trying to fight Frieza. Even in death she was a liability. He had to get rid of her.

If her presence was the balm to his pain ridden psyche, then it stood to reason, that if he cured his pain then she would disappear as well. He squared his shoulders with determination as he stalked out of the room without looking back at her.

As Vegeta stomped through the halls of the ship, he tried to ignore the growing sense of guilt. As he sat in his pod, listening to his mate's last goodbye he had felt such terrible loss. He hadn't felt that emotion, since the destruction of his planet and the death of his race. Now she was here by his side and he was planning on wiping her out of existence once again. An emotion that had always existed within him, but he had refused to acknowledge, roused itself in the back of his mind.

Vegeta strode into the Medical Bay and staggered to a halt when he saw Bulma standing in the middle of the room dressed in her lab coat. She turned to face him as she jotted down some notes on her clip board, while casting him a brilliant smile. The scene was so familiar that Vegeta couldn't stop the ripple of contentment that flowed through him.

"What do you need Vegeta? Is the GR broken again?" She stopped her writing to glance up at him and her smile turned into a frown of concern. "You look horrible, you have to stop training so hard. It wouldn't kill you to take a break every once in a while you know."

How he wished that this scene was real. He wanted desperately to be back at Primus getting ready to yell at her to fix that infernal machine, but instead he was here on Namek preparing to face his worse enemy. An enemy that he was still too weak to defeat. Vegeta ignored her and walked up to the cabinets that held the medical supplies, searching through the various vials.

"What are you looking for Vegeta?" She questioned.

Without forethought Vegeta answered her, "A pain suppressant." He scowled when he realized that he responded to her out of instinct again.

"Oh. Why, are you hurt?" She asked with concern, drawing near him.

With a barely suppressed shudder of need, Vegeta pulled away from her without answering and searched through another drawer, finally finding what he wanted. He snatched up a syringe and took his prize back to a counter at the center of the room. Bulma walked around to the other side so she was facing him and began to fidget nervously. Vegeta ignored her while tearing open the paper that encased the syringe and filled needle with the medicine.

"Why are you doing this Vegeta?" Bulma asked softly.

Startled, Vegeta looked up and his dark eyes locked with her soft blue ones. She looked so sad standing across from him as though he was wounding her in some way, as if he was betraying her. He cruelly hardened his heart against her, telling himself that she wasn't real. In an effort to convince himself he said the words out loud.

"Because you aren't real." He whispered to his subconscious.

A small tear trailed down her ivory cheek as her small hand fluttered up to her throat. "I am as real as you need me to be."

Vegeta's gut wrenched at the sight of her tear and he paused a moment as he absorbed her words. Would it be so bad to have her by his side even if it was only a dream? To see her encouraging face on the battlefield? He shook away his desire and stiffened his resolve. "No, you are just a figment of my imagination."

"You need me."

A thunderous fury rose up inside of Vegeta as everything he was rebelled against that simple statement. He flung his arm wide, slamming it against a cart that held surgical tools. They crashed to the ground, clamoring as they scattered across the cold metal floor.

"I need no one!" He howled with rage. How dare she accuse him of such a weakness. He needed no one, he never had. He had survived alone his entire life and he would continue to do so. He did not need the support of one tiny, frail female. That forsaken emotion raised its deadly head; its black body crouched, stalking the prince as it sensed its freedom drawing nearer.

"I'm the only one who can take away the pain." She whispered back, unaffected by his tantrum. Her huge sapphire eyes shimmered with tears as she silently begged for him to acknowledge the tumultuous emotions that boiled inside of him.

With soulless eyes he glared back at his lover. "There is no pain, only pride." He plunged the syringe into his arm and Bulma thrust out her hand to stop him. He watched as her form wavered, her outstretched hand reaching for him as she blinked into nothingness. The beast leapt forward and loneliness engulfed the solitary prince.

After Vegeta had cleaned himself off and changed into a new uniform he gathered up the remaining dragon balls and met Nail outside. Silently, they flew east, covering miles of ground in mere moments. Ruthlessly, Vegeta ignored the cold ache that spread relentlessly through his heart with every passing moment.

Eventually in the distance, Vegeta could make out a pillar of land with a white building perched on the summit. As they drew nearer he could feel an ancient power winding its way around him, embracing him in welcome. Vegeta shuddered at its touch, slightly discomforted. He had felt the malevolent energy created by the ice-jinn and he had experienced the aura of battle frenzy ebbing from other warriors, but never before had he felt the strength of peace and wisdom.

They touched down outside of the building and Nail led him to the entrance. Once inside it took a moment for Vegeta's eyes to adjust to the shadows of the room after the blinding light of the Namekian sun. Finally he pinpointed the source of the power that drew him and his narrowed eyes widened.

The ancient's skin was the color of forest moss found in the deepest and oldest groves. Timeless wisdom swirled in his bottomless eyes, pulling Vegeta into their depths. The elderly man sat upon a white stone throne which was bejeweled with the golden orb that was captured in the branches of the stag like horns that decorated the back of the carved chair. Vegeta felt a moment of unease as the unfamiliar power washed over him again, unaccountably reminding him of rich soil, clear waters, warm spring days and the miracle of life.

Vegeta's lips hardened into a straight line as he stiffened his spine. He dropped the dragon balls on the ground and swaggered up to the throne arrogantly.

"I have come for the dragon ball," he demanded.

The old man looked down at Vegeta, his eyes gleaming with intelligence. Without a word he reached up to pluck the dragon ball from its resting place and handed to the astounded prince. Vegeta glared down at the ball in his hands. He had been certain that the old man would put up more of a fight, not just hand it over.

"What will you wish for?"

The softly spoken words jarred Vegeta out of his thoughts. The prince looked back up at the man, the answer pouring instantly from his lips.

"Power."

The green man cocked his head to one side as his keen eyes swept across Vegeta's marble hard face, searching for his secrets. Vegeta shivered and his closed features became even more shuttered.

"Why?"

"So I can defeat my enemy." Vegeta hissed with vengeance. Nothing had changed since he had walked out of the throne room, leaving his murdered mate behind. He still wasn't strong enough to defeat Frieza, but now he had no choice. He had to make his wish quickly so he could avenge his fallen people and reclaim his honor as the Prince of all Saiyans.

"That would be a wasted wish." Guru continued softly, carefully watching the nearly unperceivable emotions flit across the prince's face. At his words, Vegeta's eyes sparked with anger and stands of indigo ki leapt off his body.

"Who are you to say. It's my wish!"

Guru was unaffected by Vegeta's fury, but Nail stepped closer, ready to die in defense of his father. A small form appeared from out of the shadows behind the throne and pressed itself closer to the old man. Vegeta ignored them both as he growled at wiseman.

"You already have the power to destroy him." His words prodded Vegeta who felt a distant flicker deep inside of him. A magnificent power that twisted and churned like a huge golden serpent waiting to be unleashed.

"If I had the strength I would have done it by now, you fool." Vegeta growled at the man's insinuation that he had the ability to kill Frieza. If he had the power she would still be with him. She would be savoring his victory by his side. He would have never allowed her to leave him alone.

"It's locked deep inside of you. You just have to use the key." The sensation of agelessness flittered over Vegeta again as the elder spoke. The prince understood the power of death. He knew about the strength that could be wrought with destruction and chaos. He did not understand the power of creation. Of wisdom and peace. The aura of the man before him, made Vegeta nervous.

"The only key I need is the Dragon Balls." Vegeta stated, his conviction wavering in the face of ancient knowledge. His hallucination had mentioned something about a key.

"You already have the key, you just have to use it."

"What are you talking about old man? You aren't making any sense." Vegeta glared darkly at the sage, annoyance at the man's veiled innuendo eating at him. He just wanted to make his wishes.

Guru sighed deeply, "Isn't there something else you would rather have?"

Sapphire eyes looked up at Vegeta from the dark abyss where they were imprisoned. Her sparkling laughter echoed across the wastelands of his soul prodding the aching desolation that was stalking his heart.

_Bulma_

Vegeta had heard of the word loneliness before, but he had never acknowledged it. Now he felt it crashing down on him, crushing him with its tremendous weight. Without her he was only one half of the equation. He was without balance, without light. It was her voice that whispered words of mercy in his dark subconscious. The darkness within him spread across his soul like a bloody stain. Without her he was a remorseless beast, not unlike his enemy.

"I don't know what you are talking about." Vegeta looked straight into the elder Namek's eyes. His heartless, obsidian spheres reflected no doubt or sympathy.

For the first time a flicker of concern appeared in Guru's knowing eyes and Vegeta relished his victory over the aged man, but it was short lived.

"Are you sure, my son." Guru's words were intoned with great caring, but they caused a whiplash of black hate to pour through Vegeta.

"I am not your son," he hissed, "I am Prince Vegeta, the royal heir to King Vegeta, the ruler of all of Vejita-sei. I am going to avenge my people and if you try and stop me I will slaughter you all without a shred of regret." Vegeta glared at the Namekian sage, before turning on his heel, stalking over to the dragon balls. He dropped the last one on the ground with the other six and turned back to face Guru.

"Tell me how they work." He demanded harshly.

"You need a password." Nail had drawn closer to Guru at Vegeta's impassioned speech, but the elder remained calm and serene.

"Tell it to me." Vegeta could feel anticipation swirling in his stomach. He was so close to victory. Soon he would have the strength he always craved, the power that he deserved. He was moments away from achieving his ultimate goal, but for a split second he was uncertain if that goal was defeating Frieza or having his mate back in his arms.

"No." At the softly spoken words Vegeta's excitement shriveled up and died. Instead it was replaced with cold, hard resentment. Slowly Vegeta turned his head to stare at the source of his fury. The large Namekian sat comfortably on his throne, seemingly unaware of the beast he was carelessly taunting.

"If you kill me, the dragon balls will cease to work. They are tied to my life force." Guru read Vegeta's thoughts and forestalled his murderous instincts. Without blinking Vegeta phased out of sight and reappeared next to the throne. He caught the small boy in his arms, who only moments ago had been pressed up against Guru. Vegeta wrapped his strong battle-scarred hand around the boy's throat, his deadly eyes pinning Nail to the spot when he moved forward to intercept the prince.

"Tell me or I kill him instead." Vegeta toneless words echoed in the silent room.

Still Guru did not move and his aura of peace became suffocating to Vegeta. Righteous anger boiled inside of him as he glared at the men. All he wanted was to make his wishes and be on his way. Who were they to tell him that his dreams weren't worthy? Who were they to judge him?

"The choice is yours Prince Vegeta. It has always been your choice." Guru's cryptic response crawled down Vegeta's spine. Was the old man talking about the boy or something else?

Vegeta's lips peeled back into a feral snarl and just as he was about to snap the young boy's neck he felt something dark and foreboding overpower him. Vegeta's head whipped to the left and he stared at the far wall seemingly to see straight through it to the source of the energy.

The boy wiggled in Vegeta's arms loosing the grip of the fingers around his throat.

"Something wicked this way comes." The boy whispered ominously.

A/N: Something Wicked This Way Comes is the name of a book by Ray Bradbury and it's a line from Shakespeare's Macbeth. So I am giving him credit where it is due. I just have always loved the line and about jumped with joy at the opportunity to use it.


	27. Mesocyclone

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ. I just enjoy manipulating the characters for my own sick and twisted amusement. Anyone else entertained?

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Mesocyclone

Vegeta felt cold sweat bead under his arms and roll down his ribs, staining his clean uniform. His chest tightened as his stomach lurched from the sickening aura of evil that invaded his senses. He unstuck his dried tongue from the roof of his mouth and forced himself to swallow what little spittle he could gather. He dropped the young boy onto the ground as he turned towards the door, his hands unconsciously clenching into fists as his primal instincts to kill and maim swept through him.

"How long does it take to make a wish?" He rasped out while struggling against the oppressive energy that enveloped him.

"Too long." The sage's tranquil tones washed over the prince, slicing into him, abrading his dormant soul.

The time of reckoning was upon him. There was no time for regrets or second chances. He had wasted precious minutes with the Nameks and now he was out of time. The monster had hunted him down, stalking him through the vastness of space, cutting him off from his only hope of redemption. His only chance to have her back by his side.

Vegeta turned his head, glaring at the Ancient from the corner of his eye. Anger, terrible and merciless welled up inside of him, spilling over into his obsidian eyes. Vegeta's wrath was a palpable thing; you could taste it in the air and breathe its foul taint. His cruel lips peeled back away from his ivory incisors as he snarled at the alien who held such great power, yet had refused to help him.

"I will be back for you." Vegeta's guttural growl vibrated through the room causing the Nameks to shudder at the deadly promise.

Vegeta gathered his pride around him like protective armor as he strode out the door to face his worse nightmare. Instead of completing his training he had rushed to Namek to retrieve the dragon balls. For what? To wish for the power to defeat Frieza? He could have obtained his goal by returning to his assigned base and training for another month, but something had goaded him into coming here. Some unvoiced passion deep within his withered soul had begged for him to come to this forgotten planet, putting his faith in a dream. Why did he come here?

Coldness washed over Vegeta as he stepped onto the plateau and looked out into the horizon. In a distance he could see the darkness rushing towards him, threatening to engulf him. His sins weighed on him like a millstone as he waited for his demonic master to appear before him to pass judgment. He had done so much in his short life, committed unthinkable crimes with impenitent callousness and assisted a tyrant in crushing half the universe under his scaly claw.

Vegeta began to flex his muscles in a slow methodical exercise to loosen them for the coming battle. He would fight to the death, striking out with all the resentment he had built up during a lifetime of enslavement. He would die a warrior on the battlefield, fighting for the first time in something he believed in. He would fight for honor, for pride and for himself.

He knew that he didn't have the strength he needed to destroy the monster, but he would fight with a vengeance that would make his race proud, then he would begin his slow descent into hell. He would greet the souls of the damned like the old friends that they were and take his punishment in the fiery dimension with the same stoicism as he had in life. He accepted his doomed fate with serenity.

Cerulean fire flashed from the depths of oblivion as screams of anguish echoed across the wastelands of his heart. Her sharp fingernails raked his brain and the pain he had suppressed resurfaced briefly. The dark stain that spread across his soul receded as he glimpsed the image of his mate as it skittered through his mind. Vegeta's eyes dropped away from the horizon to stare at the barren ground. She waited for him in the darkness, silently pleading with him and he had failed her at every turn.

First he had claimed her when he knew that he shouldn't, allowed harm to come to her while under his protection and then he had murdered her in order to save his own worthless hide. It didn't matter that she had begged him to end her life; he should have refused or found another way. Finally, he had failed in his quest to bring her back. Yes, he admitted it to himself. He had come to Namek to wish for power, but he knew deep within himself that she had been his primary goal. If he was serious about defeating Frieza he would have retreated to his corner of the galaxy and trained instead of journeying to this place. Now here he stood, at the brink of a fathomless abyss, peering into the face of eternal damnation.

He had wanted her with him when he killed Frieza. He wanted her to savor their victory as he tore the tyrant's head from his body. That small part of his consciousness that he refused to acknowledge had prodded him into coming here so he could resurrect her. So she could be with him until the very end. He needed to prove to her that he was worthy enough to be her chosen mate, her protector…_her hero?_ But, he had failed and now he stood alone.

Bulma shouldn't reside in hell, no matter what her crimes. She deserved another chance at life, at happiness. Her destiny rested in his blood-stained hands. If he died today, then she would remain in the dark pit, surrounded by the shrieking souls of the damned, unable to escape her unjust fate. Vegeta felt something shift inside of him as he took responsibility for someone else for the first time in his life. A little bit of his selfishness melted away taking with it part of the thick, impenetrable wall that separated him from his golden fleece and he felt an infusion of power electrify his body.

Unflinching onyx eyes rose up from the ground and watched the closing darkness. Her faith in him flowed through his veins, pumping him full of adrenaline as he waited for his enemy. For the monster he had to destroy to set his mate free.

His foe advanced upon him, bringing his overwhelming wickedness with him. Vegeta refused to give ground as Frieza, Zarbon and Dodoria dropped out of the sky, smirking at him condescendingly. He glared right back at them, waving his hate like a war banner. Frieza's lips parted in a mockery of a smile, his needle-like fangs glinting in the sunlight. He sat comfortably on his floating throne, his belief in his superiority evident in every languid movement of his reptilian body.

"So the monkey has finally followed the path of his pathetic race and decided to rebel against me. How disappointingly predictable." Frieza sneered down at the proud prince.

Vegeta felt his hackles rise and he retreated to the arrogant demeanor that had served him so well over the years. He crossed his arms over his chest and tilted his head back to smirk up at the lizard. "I told you I would hang your head on my wall Frieza. You should have run away when you had the chance instead of following me here."

The trio burst into laughter at the prince's words, their grating tones rending the aura of serenity that covered the land. Vegeta grit his teeth as he ascended into the air to draw even with his enemy. From the corner of his eye, Vegeta watched Zarbon who stood protectively next to the ice-jinn. He could see something different about the man, a suppressed menace simmering just beneath the surface, directed at the prince. A vein began to throb on Vegeta's forehead and his fists clenched at his side.

"You never knew when to stop running your mouth Vegeta." Dodoria cackled at the irate prince.

"Why don't you come shut it for me, you fat slob?" Vegeta hissed at the obese lap dog, sneering as the man's pink face flushed a rosy color. It took all his will power not to glance behind him to check on the dragon balls. He knew that they were out of sight of the lizard, but he was certain that Frieza could feel their ki signatures. He had to draw them away from the hut. If those idiot Nameks were smart enough, they would move the dragon balls when they had a chance.

"I admit you are much stronger than I first thought." Frieza's cold eyes roved over the prince, examining him closely, looking for the hidden clues to his strength. "I never expected you to be powerful enough to defeat Ginyu Force, but I can feel no hint of their ki, so they must be dead." There was a subtle note of pride in the ice-jinn's voice that unsettled Vegeta. Zarbon and Dodoria heard it as well and they glanced at their master curiously.

"They were nothing but trash. I disposed of them." Vegeta shifted slightly to the left, gratified when his foes tracked his movement unconsciously.

Frieza grinned, "Yes, I see that. Tell me, how did it feel to kill the Captain? Was it thrilling to have his blood on your hands?" Frieza's eyes glinted and the warriors felt their guts clench. Their master occasionally asked such questions. How did it feel to kill? Did you enjoy it? Tell me about it. He would demand the answers when his soldiers returned from a mission. It was as if he was vicariously reliving the moment through them or as if he was searching for a specific response. To what no one knew, but it made the majority of the soldiers uncomfortable to have to rehash their emotions on the battlefield.

Frieza always seemed to be specifically interested in Vegeta's reactions and he hated it when the Emperor turned his sick attention to him. The prince had always refused to answer the ice-jinn, earning bloody punishments for his insubordination. He shifted again, slowly leading his enemies away from the house. "I felt nothing. I will however feel a great deal of pleasure when I rip your scaly head off your body." Vegeta spat with disgust.

Frieza leaned back in his chair, a wicked grin etched on his reptilian features. "You are strong Vegeta. I hadn't expected you to advance so quickly before I had a chance to break your resistance to me. Unfortunately for you, your strength is still pitiful compared to mine."

Vegeta dropped down into a fighting stance, snarling with fury, "Then I will die on the battlefield with honor."

Frieza giggled and his men shivered at the sound. Its sickening ring always heralded something terrible. "Oh I'm afraid not my prince. You will be coming home with me and we are going to have a long talk about your recent behavior."

Fury and fear bled together, whipping the prince into a furor. "I would rather die than kneel to you again, you bastard!" He roared as strands of indigo ki leapt of his body and his ebony eyes glinted red. Chunks of rock levitated around him and burst into shards of dust when they became infused with his energy. He surged forward, narrowing in on his target. The beast that haunted his nightmares. A sparkle of pink and green, invaded his vision and instead of his fists connecting with the mocking face of his enemy, he was waylaid by the tyrant's henchmen.

Knowing that they would follow, Vegeta led them out away from the pillar of land, fiercely exchanging blows. Zarbon and Dodoria circled around him like rabid wolves, each seeking a chink in his defense, desperately trying to land their kicks and punches. The prince spun gracefully in the air, blocking their advances with ease, grinning at the knowledge that he exceeded their strength even without powering up fully.

Around and around they went, accelerating with each revolution, until the air near them formed a whirlwind. They ascended higher into the atmosphere, carrying the warm air of the plains with them to collide with the colder air in the stratosphere. Vegeta's eyes narrowed as he covertly watched Zarbon, whose face was hardened into a reckless mask of hostility. He knew that the man was an intimate part of Bulma's network, but he attacked Vegeta with a vengeance. His green ki cracked and twisted away from his body as his turbulent emotions grew.

The three men paused at the height of their ascent, the air currents below them churning angrily at their forced mixing. Dodoria and Zarbon panted with exertion while Vegeta watched them with cunning expectation. Silently, he tried to puzzle out Zarbon's obvious personal antagonism towards him that was hidden beneath a sheer veneer of duty. Almost in concert the two men braced themselves on the floating currents, planting their feet on the empty wind. With maddened howls they called forth their inner strength. Strands of vermillion and verdant ki arched off their bodies, dancing with the atmospheric vapors, sparking and electrifying the nearby ions.

The cumulus clouds seethed as lightening began to streak across the darkened sky. Without warning the warriors clashed against each other. Their clamorous blows echoing the crash of thunder in the distance. They attacked in a frenzy, their battle fervor feeding the growing storm. A supercell formed, bringing with it the destruction of violent lighting strikes and the already chilly atmosphere became icy as great melon sized balls of hail fell from the sky.

Frieza watched from a distance. His reptilian eyes easily following each movement of the warriors who battled for supremacy in the sky. Anyone watching the tyrant would have felt their blood run cold at the smile that graced his thin lips. As the hail began to fall, Frieza negligently erected a ki barrier that protected him from the elements.

The warriors began a slow circular descent towards the ground, pulling the reluctant swirling air currants with them. Behind them a small cyclone formed, following them down to the beckoning arms of the Namekian plains. Dodoria was bleeding from numerous wounds, the scarlet color contrasting with the bright fuchsia of his body. Zarbon and Vegeta remained unhurt as they circled each other like frothing dogs of war. For some unknown reason Vegeta couldn't bring himself to strike out against the jade warrior, though Zarbon had no such reservations. During the battle his fury had grown substantially and now he was attacking Vegeta without the cold calculation of a warrior, but with the lust of someone who had a blood debt that needed to be repaid.

They hovered two dozen paces from the ground, the cyclone that had grown into a massive vortex swallowed them, touching down on the planet, while they floated in the monster's belly. The tornado roared around them, the deafening noise beating mercilessly at them. The walls shrouded the warriors from the light, creating a gray world of whirling shadows that hid lethal projectiles of rock and debris. It was a private arena that even Frieza could not see into. With a growl of impatience, Vegeta reached out, snatching Dodoria close to him. He placed one hand on the back of the pink slob's head and the other gripped his jaw. With a sharp twist he jerked the man's chin back towards his shoulder, snapping the fragile bones of his spine. Vegeta's hand dropped down to grab the lifeless warrior by the breastplate, whirling around with incredible speed, sending him hurtling towards the ground with startling velocity. He impacted the dirt, creating a crater and rippling the ground outwards like a tidal wave.

Frieza snickered as he felt the quake. Though he couldn't see into the cyclone, he was certain that Vegeta would emerge victorious. He had always expected the prince to grow in strength; in fact he had counted on it. He just hadn't expected it to be this quickly. Bulma was far more devious than he had given her credit for. Never again would he dismiss an enemy just because it was female. She had used her incredible mind against him and because of it; his timeline had been moved up. The prince was teetering on the precipice of absolute power at a time when he despised his master the most. That bordered on dangerous for the ice-jinn. He had plans for the prince that didn't include killing him because he was becoming too unruly.

The vortex began to move, eating up the plains veraciously and leaving deep trenches in its wake. Trees and rocks were thrown about carelessly, becoming weapons as they sped through the air to spear unlikely targets. Inside the funne,l the two remaining men moved fluidly with the storm, staying centered and away from the treacherous walls. They faced off, their eyes narrowing to protect them from the flying grit in the air.

Shielded from eavesdropping by the thunderous walls, Vegeta gave in to his curiosity and questioned the spy. "What the fuck is your problem?"

Zarbon's teeth peeled back into a snarl and he hissed with fury. Vegeta was reminded of a large cat that was being taunted through the bars of a cage with a big stick. Zarbon's emerald eyes bleed to an amber color and Vegeta knew he was getting ready to transform into his deformed crocodile appearance for more power.

"You killed her you murdering bastard! Your own mate!" Zarbon seethed, his anger roiling inside of him and ebbing off his body in tangible waves. Vegeta became very still at the other man's words. His senses had been electrified by the tumultuous storm and pleasure at being engaged in battle thrummed through his veins. All of that leached away as he watched the other man vibrate with the intensity of his hate.

Remorse raised its ugly head, staring back at Vegeta. The pain resurfaced briefly, raking its claws through his unprotected mind before the medicine reclaimed its prisoner. Loneliness washed over him and the ruthless prince suppressed it once again, but it did not go as silently as it did before. Remnants laced through his heart, reminding him that his existence was solitary and meaningless.

"It had to be done." Vegeta ground out, unable to rouse any anger at the man's accusation.

Zarbon moved forward subtly, a ripple of muscle and sinew, his distress apparent in every nuance of his body. "Was it?" The man's face was pleading, as if he wanted Vegeta to convince him otherwise.

"You know that there was no other way." Vegeta's words were soft, almost as if he didn't want to admit to himself that he couldn't save her. Zarbon knew the intricacies of court intrigue better than the prince. He had known that there had been no way to save her, but that didn't dissolve the guilt that suffocated him. Bulma had been his friend, his confidant. She had protected him to her very last breath, refusing to give Frieza the names of her contacts and he had stood by, watching as they tortured her. He had been unable to help her, but Vegeta should have. Zarbon couldn't believe that anyone who had known her, who had been touched by her gentle light, could extinguish it so callously. Especially, someone who had claimed her as a mate.

"She told me that she loved you." Zarbon whispered the words, almost certain that the prince couldn't hear them, but knowing that he would. Something flicked in the depths of Vegeta's onyx eyes, but his face remained impassive. Vegeta heard the echo of Bulma's parting words to him. She had said that she loved him, but a part of him had dismissed her speech as the ramblings of one who was about to greet death. Hearing them uttered from a third party was like a blow to the gut.

She had loved him. She had loved him enough to tell other people about it, not just leave it as a recorded afterthought, a prelude to death. Vegeta felt the ice around his heart crack and agony stole inside like a thief, rending him nearly immobile at the intensity of the feeling.

Zarbon bowed his head in loss, looking to the ground that rippled with waves of debris. His fists clenched at his sides as his long verdant hair that had come loose from his braid fell across his eyes. Vegeta followed the man's line of sight, looking down as well, but he saw the clawing hands of the damned reaching for him instead of swirling debris.

"They threw her body in the trash heap. I couldn't stop them."

Vegeta inhaled sharply at the shocking news while he glared murderously at the ground. He raged against the disrespect his mate's body was shown. She should have been buried as a Saiyan queen in a Kerithian tomb, bedecked with precious jewels and fine robes, not thrown out with the refuse. Hate seethed inside of him, mixing with battle lust, sharp and vibrant, like the tip of a bloody knife. Frieza's mocking face crossed before his eyes and Vegeta renewed his vow to slay the monster that had destroyed his life.

"You should have saved her."

Vegeta's eyes snapped up to meet the accusing glare of Bulma's friend. Fury, boiling and unchecked billowed through Vegeta, rousing the murderous beast that was slumbering inside of him. His flesh became heated and indigo thunderbolts shot off his body to meet the churning walls of the tornado that surrounded them. Lightning zagged through the dirt and rock, electrifying the storm, illuminating the dark center with an eerie blue glow. Between the flashes of light, Zarbon could see the beast crouching on the other side of the prince's obsidian eyes, snarling with the desire to be free.

How dare that court whore say such things to him? Didn't he know if he could have saved her, he would have done so? She would be safe right now if he had the power, not waiting at the gates of hell for him to join her. He ignored the words that whispered in his heart that Zarbon was right. He should have saved her.

With a roar he launched himself at the other man. He moved with such blinding speed that Zarbon didn't even have time to raise his arms in defense. Vegeta furiously swung at the man's jaw, but at the last minute he pulled the powerful punch. He connected brutally with Zarbon's chin with enough strength behind it to cause the man to slump into unconsciousness, but at least he was still alive. Vegeta caught the man's sagging body to his while he looked down at Zarbon's upturned face. The prince glared at the sleeping man, watching as a stream of blood ran from the corner of the man's mouth and down his chin, while trying to understand his actions.

Zarbon was Bulma's friend, even if he didn't show the proper respect that he should to a prince. If he killed the green freak he was pretty sure that he wouldn't hear the end of it when he finally did meet her in the after life. He sighed deeply as he ascended up the writhing tube to exist out of the top, still out of sight of the ice-jinn. Vegeta scanned the horizon, finally finding what he was looking for. He heaved Zarbon into the air, watching as he flew several thousand feet to finally fall into the depths of a nearby ocean. He knew that the reptilian warrior would be able to breathe under the water and he would be out of the way of the coming confrontation.

Vegeta rode the twister that convulsed beneath him, jagged lances of lightning sizzled around him, arching off his ki shield, before hurtling to the planet's surface. Vegeta surveyed the damage that his battle had wrought. The sky was blackened by the storm and the tornado had ripped apart the land with a ravenous appetite. In the distance he could see the pale body of the Ice-jinn waiting patiently for him.

Without the rancorous fury of the men to feed its hunger, the storm began to abate and the hail ceased as cold rain took its place. Vegeta lifted his face to the cleansing water, closing his eyes as it flowed over him. He allowed it to wash away all of his guilt and remorse, instead he filled himself the confidence that he needed. He was the Prince of all Saiyans. He was destined to rule. He was fated to avenge his people. He would destroy the monster that enslaved him and he would reclaim his honor and his soul.

Vegeta lowered his head, opening his black eyes to look directly at his master. He had to win. He had no choice. He could not fail her again.

A/N: Okay. So we all know that fighting bores me yawn. So I decided to write a about a pretty little storm instead. I hope it wasn't too farfetched.

Dodoria only gets one line in my little play. He's ugly and worse, he's pink. Zarbon however is green, a color that perfectly suits my red hair. Don't you think he would just be the perfect accessory to hang off my arm?


	28. Sadistic

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ, which is a shame. Just think of all the wicked things I could do with it.

A/N: I just want to say thanks again for all the reviews. Huggles to everyone that reads. I really do appreciate your support and how kind you all are. Nothing makes me happier than to entertain you. I hope I continue to live up to your awesome expectation.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Sadistic

Vegeta drifted towards Frieza in a delusively calm manner, displaying complete confidence while ignoring the flutters of uncertainty in the bottom of his gut. He was sure that he had only one chance to win. He had to catch the scaly lizard off guard, attacking him quickly and brutally, slaying him before he had a chance to transform.

Frieza smiled benevolently up at the Saiyan. He had known that the prince would be victorious; he'd expected no less from the powerful warrior. Frieza leaned back in his chair, sated for the moment from the feast of battle frenzy he had just engorged himself on, while anticipating his next meal. The sparking of ki excited him, causing his heart to race, making him euphoric with the rush of adrenaline that coursed in his veins while the sight of blood aroused him painfully. Nothing pleased him more than to witness the death and destruction of those who were beneath him. He licked his lips eagerly, fantasizing about the fight to come.

"That took longer than I expected." Frieza had been certain that the prince would have finished his task of slaying Dodoria and Zarbon sooner than he had. He was especially concerned about the length of time that it took for Vegeta to kill Zarbon after Dodoria's death. He frowned in annoyance, fearing that his monkey prince was weaker than he'd thought and would not provide him with the challenge he yearned for.

"I like to play with my toys before I break them," growled Vegeta, while watching the tyrant closely.

Frieza threw back his head and laughed at Vegeta's quip. It was the moment that the prince had been waiting for and without hesitation Vegeta lunged forward, aiming for the monster's unguarded heart with deadly accuracy. Frieza's head snapped forward, his claws wrapping around the Saiyan's wrist tightly, halting his forward jab. Vegeta felt the soft give of flesh under his fingers, sinking up to the first knuckle as they plunged into his enemy's chest cavity, nearly reaching their goal.

Vegeta snarled and renewed the power of his thrust, trying to break free of the Frieza's grasp. So intent was he on his goal that he didn't notice when Frieza ignited his ki in his other hand and released it squarely into Vegeta's chest. Searing fire wrapped around his ribs, charring his skin and sending him crashing back a dozen yards. Rock scrapped the skin from his back as he skidded along the ground, cutting a shallow ravine in the dirt. He stared up at the clearing sky, watching as the clouds dissipated while trying to catch his breath.

"Well Saiyans always were mindless killing machines." Frieza brushed his hands together as if cleaning dust from them, an evil smirk spreading across his pinkish features. That had been close. Vegeta was definitely stronger and more devious than the tyrant had dared to hope. With leisurely disregard for the threat the prince presented, Frieza pulled himself off his throne to float in the air, while gloating down at Vegeta.

Vegeta bit back a groan as he rolled over to his hands and knees, pulling himself up off the ground with a slight pant. At the ice-jinn's words he hissed and glared up at Frieza, hate brewing in his cold eyes.

"Liar. The Saiyans were a proud warrior race," he spat.

"Oh is that what you were told?" Frieza sniggered. "I'll have you know that before I leashed your kin, they ran roughshod over the universe. Killing everything in their path."

Unexpectedly, Vegeta sprang forward, pummeling the ice-jinn with a flurry of blows. He was unwilling to admit defeat while his enemy's death was still within his grasp. Frieza's eyes widened with surprise as he flipped backwards, barely avoiding Vegeta's fierce attack. Frieza wisely retreated, studying the prince's growing skill while Vegeta relentlessly dogged his every move. Only sparks of light flashed in the distance as the two warriors tested their strengths.

"Monster! My people only fought foes that were worthy of them." Vegeta's hand latched onto Frieza's deceptively scrawny arm, pulling him close. With each word, Vegeta slammed his fist into Frieza's face, revering in the sickening crunch of flesh and bone. "We were honorable until you came and forced us to do your evil bidding."

With a sharp blow to Vegeta's gut, Frieza wrenched himself away from the enraged warrior. He retreated to a nearby knoll, panting slightly in exertion. The Saiyan prince was indeed much stronger than he expected and accommodations needed to be made. Excitement thrummed through his veins, drowning out the aching throb of his swollen face, as he eyed his opponent. He braced his feet on the ground, pulling his fists tight against his body in preparation of the transformation he had not expected to take so quickly.

"Yes, like I said, nothing but mindless killing machines. At least I gave them direction."

"You gave them a life of slavery," growled Vegeta.

With a baying laugh Frieza called on the terrible power that simmered just below the surface, always straining to be free and wreck havoc on the universe. Vegeta watched in desperation as his master took his second form, silently reassuring himself that he could still win. As long as Frieza didn't transform again, he had a chance.

Frieza roared as his power burst forth, disintegrating the ground around him, creating a crater as rock blew over Vegeta. The prince slit his eyes to protect them, but he didn't move away, instead he was fascinated by the sheer concentrated amount of evil that poured out of the monster in front of him. The change was seamless, without the lack of control a less experienced warrior may display. Frieza had long ago mastered his power and there was no need for expend his energy needlessly. Vegeta's lip curled into a disgusted sneer as he glared down at the cocky changeling who stood with his fists on his hips.

Frieza levitated out of the pit, drawing even with Vegeta. "I see those bodyguards of yours filled your pretty little head with nonsense." Before Vegeta could draw the breath to answer, Frieza launched himself at the prince, taking the offensive this time.

"They trained me in the Saiyan tradition the best they could." Vegeta retreated backwards, throwing ki blasts at his advancing foe.

"They filled your head with fantasies and nothing more. Deceiving you of the true nature of your race. Don't you think I would know the truth, monkey? After all I was there." Frieza deflected the blasts, secretly pleased at the power each one contained. Even in his second form Vegeta was going to provide him with a tantalizing challenge.

Mountains exploded around the two warriors as the blasts detonated, shaking the planet with their voracity. Both warriors disregarded the destruction they wrecked, unconcerned for the safety of the innocents that inhabited the world. They honed in on each other, only hearing the heartbeat of their enemy as they focused on silencing that one persistent sound. Vegeta switched direction abruptly charging the ice-jinn in a sudden move. The percussion of their blows thundered across the once peaceful plains as their fists connected against their opponent's flesh brutally.

"You are the one who is deceitful, Frieza. Spewing lies every time you open your putrid mouth." Vegeta taunted, hoping to catch the tyrant off balance. He watched his adversary with cold calculation, willing the anger away, so he could fight with a clear head. The rage he held inside of him strained against its steel restraints, snapping at the bit to be free. A true warrior did not allow emotion to distract him from battle, but Vegeta could barely contain all the resentment he had stored inside him, targeting his most hated enemy.

Frieza hissed and his lips narrowed into a sneer of repugnance. "The universe thanked me when I destroyed your world. Eliminating your race was the most benevolent thing I have ever done."

Vegeta stiffened, the fury that he had smothered until now spilled over, tainting his calm. "I despise you with every fiber of my being. You annihilated my world, murdered my people. You forced me…" Vegeta took a shuddering breath as the world bled into crimson and the sound of Frieza's heartbeat pounded in his head. He would not think of that now, he would not think of her. Pain ripped through his brain as cerulean fire flashed in the depths of his mind. Frieza saw Vegeta drift away and he lashed out his tail, intending to catch the prince across the face with a humiliating slap. Just the thing to keep subordinates in line.

Frieza's eyes widened with surprise as Vegeta carelessly caught his tail in mid swing, not even bothering to look directly at the ice-jinn at first. Slowly, as if time was meaningless, the prince raised his head, glaring directly into Frieza's eyes. The tyrant's breath hitched as he was pulled into the fathomless abyss of the Saiyan's eyes, only seeing the reflection of his own cold features.

"You ruined my life and I am going to kill you if it's the last thing I do." Frieza was momentarily dazed by the sheer hatred burning in the depths of Vegeta's obsidian eyes. Vegeta's grip tightened painfully on Frieza's sensitive tail and the Saiyan grit his teeth as his body tensed, feeling the flow of power surge through him. His onyx pupils became pinpoints of flame and his muscles swelled with strength. Blue-black lightning bolts shot up out of the ground, twining around the duo before shooting into Vegeta. He jolted as the electricity slammed into his body, convulsing for a moment while he absorbed the shock.

Frieza watched in stunned alarm as a leer of vindictiveness spread over Vegeta's normally impassive features. With a flex of the Saiyan prince's new found strength Frieza was hurtling towards the ground, pile-driving a rock outcropping before impacting the dirt. Rocks cascaded onto him, bouncing off his prone form and coming to rest beside him. He glared back up at the prince who was still floating far above him. Vegeta's chest heaved as he took great gulping breathes while holding something that wagged wildly. Frieza's eyes narrowed as he focused on the object in the prince's hand.

Frieza let out a feminine screech of outrage, while Vegeta laughed heartily at his distress. In his hand he held the ice-jinn's tail, his pride and joy. Frieza shot up out of the hole that he laid in, twirling in the air in an effort to examine the bloody stump that used to be his gorgeous tail. With a hiss of fury he whirled on the prince.

"You are going to regret that for many years to come, you little shit!" Frieza's face turned dangerously red as his hands balled into fists. His aura flamed to life around him and he extended one finger, aiming for the most crippling areas of Saiyan anatomy. Vegeta saw the tip of Frieza's finger heat up with a red beam and he darted to the side avoiding incineration, while tossing the ice-jinn's tail in front of the blast with malicious pleasure. He snickered as Frieza's ugly mouth formed a perfect circle of horror. The tyrant snapped his jaw shut with a resounding crack, grinding his teeth together as his tail fell to the ground in pile of ash. Frieza's narrowed gaze tracked Vegeta as he fired haphazardly, intent on wounding the prince and soon the air was filled with smoke and dust, hiding the Saiyan from sight.

"You are coming back with me, prince. You are my property and you will not disobey me again." Frantically the lizard scanned the area, searching for any signs of the mutinous warrior.

"I will die before that happens." The softly spoken voice filled with menace sent shivers down Frieza's spine. With a gasp he whirled around to find the arrogant prince glaring at him with deadly intent glinting in his eyes. Frieza inhaled sharply before he steadied himself. He was the ruler of the Universe. Everyone bowed to him. There was nothing to fear from some ignorant Saiyan, who had misplaced ideals of honor and pride. He was the master. It was time that the prince learned his place at the feet of his ruler. He had very specific plans for Vegeta's role in the universe, wasting him in death was something that he wanted to avoid. After all, killing the last prince of a dead race wouldn't nearly be as entertaining as keeping him alive. Frieza squared his shoulders, puffing his chest out importantly as he faced Vegeta.

"I think not. Even though you are just a filthy monkey, you are exactly what I need."

Vegeta cocked his head to the side, looking at the duplicitous ice-jinn. "What are you rambling about now, you dick?"

Frieza snarled at the disrespectful tone in the Saiyan's voice. He made a note to punish him especially for his snide clip. Sooner or later Vegeta would break and then Frieza would mold him into exactly what he wanted. Frieza thrived on the thrill of battle, but the one thing that he enjoyed more than that was destroying a person's sense of self in a slow poisonous onslaught of mental abuse. He loved the challenge of changing a person from what they were meant to be into something they could barely tolerate. Their own personal monster.

"You're ruthless and cunning. You have more intelligence than any of your predecessors ever displayed. More importantly, you have an unquenchable thirst for power. You are perfect." Frieza hissed with triumphant pleasure that unsettled Vegeta. He had heard a lot of crap spewing from the monster's mouth, but this was entirely unexpected and confusing.

"Perfect for what, you freak?"

"To be the universe's ultimate killer."

Vegeta's eyes widened and he instinctively backed away before he steadied himself.

"You see my prince everything must come to an end. Even my rule. And since I can't have icelings," Frieza paused a moment before continuing. "That leaves you."

Disgust and fear clawed its way through Vegeta's gut as he glared at his master. If he had less control he would have begun to hyperventilate as the panic washed over him. What the bastard was saying was impossible. He hated Frieza. He had vowed on countless times to kill him and now he was spouting some nonsense about taking his place as the universe's terrorist. Vegeta would rather slit his own throat than be named that tyrant's heir apparent.

"Never." He whispered while still staring horror-struck at the monster in front of him.

Frieza chuckled at Vegeta's horrified tone. "You have the potential to become the strongest in the universe thus wrestling the throne from my grasp, but not before I have molded you into exactly what I want. A master of death and destruction."

"That's absurd. You're insane!" Vegeta hissed, stunned at the turn of events. "I will kill you before that happens."

Frieza grinned maliciously, "Oh yes, dear boy. You are turning out just fine. You will make a magnificent replacement for me when I am done with you. A monster that is unequaled in bloodshed and devastation. They will whisper of your depravity and shudder in revulsion." He cackled as he watched the panic spread over Vegeta's face. For years he had trained the boy without his knowledge. Sending him out on the most bloodthirsty missions available. Beating every scrap of emotion out of him and teaching him to substitute feelings with bloodshed.

He had almost succeeded. Vegeta had been primed to become what he abhorred the most, a midnight fiend bent on the destruction of the universe, until that little bitch had interfered. Vegeta was a machine when it came to battle, killing without remorse, conquering entire galaxies for his master, but then Bulma came along with her farfetched dreams and tight little body. She had very nearly ruined his pet project. As it was, she had disrupted his schedule severely. Thanks to her the prince was far more powerful than he should be at this time and was suffering from an influx of emotions that he could not possibly handle.

Vegeta's pulse raced as he stared aghast at Frieza. All these years he was being groomed by his master to become a monster. All those missions, all those times that Frieza had ordered him to do something heinous, all those people he had slaughtered. How many times had he walked into Frieza's throne room, bathed in the blood of innocents and listened as he master praised him for efficiency? It made sense now, why Frieza had never killed him no matter how disrespectful he had behaved. He was being molded into a demon, an experiment by a mad king who had nothing better to do than to manipulate the lives of those around him.

Frieza had mentioned predecessors. This was not the first time he had done such a thing. What had happened to the others? Obviously they had failed their master's sick little tests. But Vegeta never failed when it came to annihilation. He had succeeded in all of his bloody tasks and failure was not an option for him. Only when it came to her had he finally crumbled. The one person who had given him everything and had only asked for one thing in return. The death of her tormentor. Vegeta staggered back, still glaring at Frieza. He was a monster, created by his master to be the worst tyrant the universe had ever seen. A beast without a conscious.

"No,' Vegeta whispered. He paused, gathering his pride around him. "No," he stated more forcibly. "I'm going to kill you and I'm going to rule, but I will do it my way."

Frieza cackled with delight at the prince's dramatic upset. "You aren't strong enough to kill me Vegeta. Maybe some day, but not today. No, today you are coming back with me and you are going to resume your place kneeling at my feet."

A shift took place inside of Vegeta and he shoved down his repulsion at the ice-jinn's words. Something hardened inside of him; caging away the chivalrous creature that Bulma had momentarily awoken in her struggle to escape her fate. When he looked back up at his master, he was the monster that Frieza had created. A remorseless beast that lived to maim and kill.

"Never again." Vegeta's words rang with cold authority and Frieza couldn't stop the small shiver that slid down his spine.

Vegeta braced himself in the open air, pulling his arms in tight next to his body. He reached deep inside of himself, searching for the power that he craved, that he needed. His ki began to spark and snap, the electricity in the air causing the small hairs on his body to stand on end. He closed his eyes, reveling in the power that poured over him, bathing his body in warm heat. Deeper he delved, allowing his energy to spill out of him, becoming tangible in a shimmer of blue light.

He followed the snaking pit that led to his power, he could see its glow, deep inside of him and he reached for it. For a brief instant, his indigo ki faded to white, but then a wall rose up, blocking his path, locking the golden energy away from him. He howled with rage and Frieza backed away, startled at the amount of strength his protégé was displaying.

Vegeta grit his teeth and his head rocked back on his neck as his muscles bulged with the strain of containing the sheer amount of power that he exuded. His head snapped forward and his animalistic eyes locked onto his prey. He brought his hands in front of him, gathering all of that energy into a ball in his palms. He shook and sweat began to pour off his body as his temperature shot up. The ball grew and the condensed energy between his hands crackled with malevolence.

Frieza watched with stupefied wonder as Vegeta gathered his ki before him. Never had he imagined the prince being this strong. Bulma was far, far cleverer than he had given her credit for. Perhaps it had been a bit hasty to have her killed off. Without warning the ball blasted off towards him and he snapped back to attention. He braced himself, confident that he could easily deflect such a blast.

With a snigger of conceit, he pressed his hands against the fiery sphere, ignoring the searing burn of his palms. He slowly forced the energy up away from his body, directing it towards the atmosphere when unexpectedly another blast slammed into him. Frieza screamed as the blinding energy engulfed him, boiling his flesh. A sickening stench filled the air as his skin began to bubble from the intense heat. Through his screams he could hear Vegeta's wicked laughter as he writhed in agony.

Darkness consumed Frieza and he fell from the sky, dropping to the ground without any of his protective shields and slamming into the planet floor with a sickening thud. Dust and debris exploded upwards like a geyser and the prince honed his senses, searching for the tell-tale ki signature from his enemy, finding nothing but emptiness. As the smoke cleared, Vegeta grinned down at the hole, unable to see into deep shadows of the cavity. He had known that Frieza would be too arrogant to pass up the chance to show off his strength to him. So while he was busy deflecting one blast, Vegeta had hurled a more powerful sphere at the preoccupied tyrant.

He felt pleasure ripple through him as he relished his victory over his master. He had won. Using his cunning mind he had destroyed his enemy, before he could transform into his final appearance. He closed his eyes, savoring the rush of power that surged over him. He ruled the universe now. He was Emperor of all.

He heard a shower of rock and his eyes snapped open in time to see a horrific doll like face in front of his before an iron hard fist smashed into his jaw. He spun away, barely able to get his careening under control before another blow was thrust into his gut. His breath escaped him in a whoosh and he felt his ribs crack under the blow. He frantically backpedaled, trying to regain his balance.

Before he could pull himself together he felt a cold hand wrap around his throat and his eyes widened when a pale face invaded his vision. The final form of Frieza glared back at him, fury ebbing off of him in evil waves.

"You little fucking monkey. I'm going to beat the shit out you." He hissed, his effeminate tones pitched even higher

Vegeta desperately struggled in Frieza's vise grip, furiously kicking out his feet to strike the changeling in the gut. Frieza just grinned at his pathetic attempts and his reptilian eyes flickered to Vegeta's waist, his smile becoming wider.

"Let's see how you like having your tail yanked, monkey."

Frieza reached down, latching his fingers onto the furry appendage that was wrapped tightly around the Saiyan's waist. He pulled it away with ease and Vegeta grunted as small biting shocks of pain ran up his spine at the ice-jinn's tight grip. Frieza released Vegeta's neck, but before the prince could react, the tyrant pulled hard on his tail, doubling him over with agony. Frieza dragged Vegeta through the air by his tail, taking him to several pillars of rock that could be seen in the distance.

Vegeta gulped in air, desperately trying to control the rivers of fire that were racing up his spine as he was yanked by his tail. He tried to move, but the pain was rendering him nearly paralyzed. Without warning Frieza swung the prince forward, slamming his body into the first pillar of stone. Vegeta grunted as he collided with the column, shattering rock onto the canyon floor below them. Again and again, Frieza bashed Vegeta against the rocks like a wet fish, cackling madly with every blow. Blood flowed from the cuts and gashes that littered the prince's body and he was nearly unconscious from the blinding spasms in his spine.

With a final malicious giggle, Frieza hurled Vegeta over his shoulder and the prince rocketed towards the ground. The impact jarred Vegeta into consciousness again and relief poured through him when he realized that the evil monster hadn't ripped off his tail like he'd expected him too. That would more than likely lower his value in his master's eye,s thought Vegeta as he glared at the blue sky above him. He watched as Frieza floated down to him, unable to find the strength to move his screaming muscles.

Frieza looked at him, crossing his thin arms in front of his chest. Vegeta was struck by how delicate the changeling looked while disgusted by the monster's sheer strength at the same time.

"If Bulma could see you now. How disappointed she would be." Frieza snickered at the battered prince in the hopes of rousing him. Frieza was thoroughly enjoying himself now that he had the upper hand and he didn't want the battle to end so soon.

He's words had the desired effect and Vegeta struggled to his feet. "Don't you ever say her name, you bastard." Vegeta was incensed that this monster would dare mention her to him. As far as he was concerned she was off limits. Frieza had no right to utter his mate's beautiful name.

Frieza was amused by Vegeta's response. It seemed that his monkey prince had more feelings for Bulma than he would admit. He loved to bestow emotional pain on his victims as well as physical pain, so he kicked his merciless taunting up a notch.

"Why? I've said it quite a few times. Especially when she was thrashing under me."

"Shut up you sick fuck!" Though Vegeta's entire body was a playground of agony, it was miniscule compared to the shards of glass that sliced at his brain, dazing him slightly.

"What? Does it upset you to know that I was her first…" A sly glint entered the evil monster's eye, "and her last?" Frieza's remark was rewarded with an astounding display of fury from the prince.

Vegeta face bloomed red and he nearly swallowed his tongue in his rage. This time there was no soft voice or angelic image to erase the words. Reality slapped him viciously across the face and he had to accept the fact that Bulma was raped after he left her on Primus. He had walked away from the throne room and sped off to complete his training, unconcerned to her fate. He'd known what she would be facing once back in the arms of the ice-jinn and he had chosen to ignore the truth, because he had been angry with her for her momentary treachery. He clenched his eyes shut, guilt gnawing at his very bones. He really was a monster, no matter what she said.

"You are nothing to her! You are not fit to touch her!" He screamed with rage, his face purpling now.

Frieza cocked a thin brow, looking down at the enraged Saiyan with shock. He had never seen the cold prince display such raw emotion over anything.

"Touch her?" Must I remind you Prince Vegeta, you killed her. In cold blood no less and after she had been so loyal to you. We tried everything to get her to talk and our knowledge in such things is quite extensive. Granted, we only had a short time to attempt to persuade her and I didn't want to leave any nasty scars. After all, bedding her wouldn't be nearly as pleasurable if she was maimed."

Vegeta stared up at his master, cold fury chilling his beating heart. With every word he could feel the last of his soul bleed away, leaving behind an empty shell. Nothing remained, only a driving need to kill.

"You are nothing but a sick sadistic bastard and I will enjoy bathing my hands in your blood while you scream for mercy." Vegeta's impassive features showed no doubt that he would be victorious over the ice-jinn.

Frieza merely cocked his head to the side a slight smile curling on his ruby red lips. Yes, Vegeta was turning out just fine.

"Now who's sadistic?"

A/N

BIG YAWN

In my opinion the next chapter is better, but I am a dork. Why do the bad people waste time yakking? Always with the evil plans that make no sense.


	29. Powerful Revelations

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ. If I did then it would have been Vegeta's life story not Goku's.

Because it's a love story….

But mostly because I'm a dork.

Chapter Twenty Nine

Powerful Revelations

Vegeta gazed up at the patch of clear blue sky that was framed between the walls of dirt that towered around him. A cloud drifted across his vision, casting a small shadow on him before it sailed away on a sea of cerulean. The sky was brilliant and pure so like the color of her…The thought melted away and his eyes fluttered closed.

He heaved a great sigh as he bathed in the soft, afternoon light. The sunshine right after a storm was always the best. It was especially warm and soothing compared to the downpour of cold rain that he had drenched himself in earlier. A distant part of his mind murmured that he should hear the song of birds not the unnatural quiet that permeated his senses. He chose to ignore his instincts that screamed that danger was lurking nearby and instead enjoyed the crispness of the day.

The sunshine heated his skin, seeping into him through the numerous wounds on his body and he breathed in the healing light as his life blood poured onto the parched dust. The barren ground drank the liquid greedily, its thirst thoroughly quenched by the Saiyan's generous gift. There was a muffled clatter to his left as some displaced gravel rolled down the mound of soil, disrupting the silence.

His black eyes opened to meet clear blue again, but this time it was surrounded by a mass of sea-foam hair that hung down around perfect alabaster features.

"Whatcha doing?" Bulma was crouched on Vegeta's chest, much the same way she had been in their bedroom the night of the dance. Her small hands rested on his shoulders and her knees were braced on either side of his hips. Vegeta had to choke back his grief when he realized that he could not feel her delicate weight on his bruise laden torso. She wasn't really there, he did not feel her and he could not hold her.

Vegeta silently stared into her endless sapphire eyes that swept away the anguish in his soul. The part of Vegeta that he held so sacred, the strong, untouchable warrior side of him, cracked a bit. What did it matter now if it wasn't really her by his side, at least she was there, figment or not. She spoke and he heard her. He wanted one last conversation with his mate, before the end.

He rolled his eyes as was his habit. It was pretty apparent to him that he was laying in the dirt, so why did she have to ask such a stupid question. "What does it look like I'm doing?" Still hard as steel, he saw no reason to pull any punches now. She cocked her head grimacing down at him.

"It looks like you are giving up to me." Her words were like a ki blast to the heart. They seared him to his very bones. Leave it to his woman to be as verbally decimating as he.

"What do you know of it, woman?" He snarled in frustration.

"Well I know that you are still laying at the bottom of this hole that Frieza threw you in a few seconds ago and that you haven't gotten up yet. You're just sitting here cloud watching. What's your deal Vegeta?" She crossed her arms over his chest, leaning her weight on her forearms while staring down into his eyes, not allowing him to look away.

"Get off me woman. Leave me alone." Having that last conversation with his mate was looking less appealing by the second. He was having a bad enough day without some harping shrew screeching in his ear.

"Why? So no one will be around to witness your failure?" Her softly spoken words prodded his warrior instincts and he struggled to sit up, only to fall back in exhaustion. Vegeta was certain that every bone in his body was busted and blood loss was making him light-headed. Things had gone badly for him after he had made his reckless declaration of vengeance to the ice-jinn. Frieza had spent quite a bit of time reacquainting the Saiyan prince with the definition of pain and suffering.

"I have enough to deal with without having to listen to your bullshit, Bulma." Unable to dislodge her from his chest he settled for running her off with words, but she didn't seem inclined to leave anytime soon.

"So that's it? You're just going to lay here and die?"

Vegeta looked away, unwilling to see the hurt and scorn in her perfect, pure eyes. That's exactly what he was planning on doing. He couldn't get on his feet anymore, he had tried and he had failed. Frieza was just too strong. Once he had realized that it was impossible to defeat his enemy he had settled for taunting him into anger. There was no way that Vegeta was going to return to being a servant bitch to that monster. He had to make sure that the tyrant was pissed enough to scrap his pet project in favor of someone more malleable to his plan. So every time Frieza had knocked him down he had gotten up again while shooting off some snide comment to the tyrant, usually having something to do with the lizard's parentage. Now it was impossible to stand, Vegeta had no more strength left, but he had accomplished his goal. At this moment Frieza was amassing enough energy to fry his insolent Saiyan ass and finally end his years of enslavement.

"What about avenging your people?

He clenched his eyes shut, wishing he could close his ears to her words as well. His people were nothing but a memory that only he had kept alive. It was time for them to fade away into obscurity. He had to accept the fact that he wasn't strong enough to avenge them. He wasn't worthy enough to be called their Prince. It was better that he die now, so the universe wouldn't be reminded of the failed existence of the Saiyan race.

"My people are dead and there is nothing I can do about it," he whispered.

Even though he wasn't looking at her, he could feel her gaze burning into his skull, reading his mind, scrying his soul. Still persistent to the very end, Bulma abruptly switched tactics. "What about ruling the universe?"

Anger seethed through Vegeta and his eyes snapped forward, locking with hers. "Haven't you been paying attention, Bulma? Frieza has been swatting me around like a rubber ball. Now that he's in his final form, I have no hope of defeating him." Vegeta's voice broke and he quickly looked away from her. "I tried… I tried for you, but I failed again." His eyes clenched shut and his voice dropped down to the barest whisper. "Besides Frieza is right."

"Right about what?" Bulma's voice was equally soft, pitched low to match his. When he didn't respond she leaned closer, prodding him with her words. "About what, Vegeta?"

"I would just be a tyrant anyways. Just like him." Vegeta uttered the words with conviction. He had been molded into a monster instead of the prince that he was meant to be. Visions of blood drenched glory danced through his head. He could taste the fear that he would have evoked in the masses on his tongue. He would have swept through galaxy after galaxy, devouring them like locus until nothing was left. Even Frieza practiced restraint, sparing worlds that vowed to serve him, but Vegeta would have decimated them for the sheer pleasure of hearing them scream. Before Bulma, Vegeta would have crushed the universe under his iron hand and not felt a moment of remorse, but she had done something to him. She had changed him somehow and he resented her for it.

"You could choose to be different." She looked at him with eyes so full of faith that it made him sick. What did she know of the nature of a monster? She put her trust into a demon and he had killed her. She was a fool.

"It's all I know," he ground out.

"So learn something else."

"What the fuck do you know woman? Get off me and leave me in peace." Vegeta was done with this asinine conversation. What use was it to argue with your subconscious? Though he had to admit, he never thought his mind would spew this kind of shit at him.

"No! No, I won't let you give up!" She sat tall on his chest, her small fingers curling around the top of his breastplate. He wished he could feel the soft brush of her cool knuckles against his heated skin, but there was nothing, not even a whisper of air.

Vegeta sighed, exasperated with her. "Look around woman. This is the end. I couldn't call forth the power to kill him. I summoned all my anger and resentment and it still wasn't enough."

Bulma's eyes creased at the corners and crystal tears formed in the depths of her sapphire gaze. "But Vegeta you are looking in the wrong place for the key. It's not hate that gives you power, it's…." She broke off and darted a quick glance over her shoulder, looking at something that Vegeta could not see. Her delicate body shuddered as she turned back to look at him.

"What are you talking about woman?" He cocked his head to the side, watching her antics curiously.

"N-nothing. Never mind." She leaned close, her nose almost touching his as she glared into his obsidian eyes. "I won't let you die, Vegeta. You can't die. I love you." The last words were carried on her soft exhale of breath, fragile and delicate, but strong and strident at the same time.

His gut wrenched as he stared up into her shimmering eyes. How he ached with the need to reach up and bury his hands in her aqua hair. He yearned to pull her close, drinking from her red lips as she curled against his chest. He wanted her in his arms almost as much as he wanted to defeat Frieza, probably more he admitted silently to himself.

"How can you say that after what I let happen to you?" His words were a mere whisper in the wind. A question that scorned an answer.

She shifted her gaze away from his and he felt the ground fall out from under him, so great was his sorrow, his guilt. Slowly, she leaned down to lay her head against his chest, her long hair wisping over his face. He should have felt the caress of her strands against his chin, but his heart throbbed with the realization that he felt nothing.

"There are some things that can never be made better again, no matter how much you try to bury it away in the darkest part of your mind. You know, in the prison where we keep the most unbearable horrors locked away. What keeps you going, what makes you get out of bed in the morning is to think of the one thing that brightens you day, that makes it worth standing up and getting dressed." She paused for a moment, consciously making the effort to relax her shoulders that had become hunched with the barrage of memories that she was reliving. She raised her head to look down into his eyes, searching the velvet depths for a hint of understanding and seeing a flicker. Vegeta had a prison in his mind as well and it was near overflowing with his own torments.

"That one thing that got me out of bed in the morning was you, Vegeta. It will be alright once we are together again." Uncertainty filled her eyes and they darted away, unwilling to meet his. "Unless you are saying that you don't want me now." Her voice was full of tears and her small body trembled.

The growl that vibrated from Vegeta's throat was fierce and deadly. In anyone else it would have struck fear into their hearts, but it merely made his Bulma look up at him and smile. His answer was simple and without words, an answer that both of them understood. She was his and only his. The past did nothing to tarnish her in his eyes.

"You are my mate, nothing will change that." His words were carried with a guttural clip, roughened by his growl, but that did nothing to lessen the impact of his declaration.

She reached up to brush her fingertips against his cheek, her small smile still gracing her petal soft lips. He could not feel her touch, but his heart lightened at the gesture.

"You can't die Vegeta." She begged as hope glowed in her jewel eyes.

"Why not? At least you will be there." The words escaped his lips before he could censor them, but it didn't sting as much as he thought it would to say them.

Again she darted a look behind her before turning back to him. "And what a pleasant place it is too." Her tone was heavy with sarcasm and he grimaced in acceptance.

"I deserve my punishment for the sins I have committed."

"That's right you do." Bulma's sharp words startled Vegeta and he looked up at her, seeking a clue to her sudden change of attitude in her porcelain features. He stared at her silently, a little hurt that she would agree so readily to his self-condemning statement.

"Do you really think they are going to allow you to have even a shred of happiness on the other side?" She allowed the words to sink in a heartbeat before dropping her next bomb. "Do you really think they will let you keep me?" Vegeta's heart wrenched at her softly spoken words. She was right. The point of hell is to make its inhabitants suffer. With Bulma by his side he could withstand an onslaught of punishments and remain unaffected by the torture. The powers that controlled fate would wrench her way from him again, leaving him alone.

"I will kill anyone who tries to take you from me." Strength began to flow through his broken body at his deadly words. He meant every one of them. If he had to stalk through all seven rings to find her, he would and beware to those who tried to stop him.

A small smile fluttered across her lips at his declaration. "I don't think it works that way Vegeta."

"Don't underestimate my resolve woman," he growled. "You are mine." The possessive beast deep inside of him snarled angrily at the thought of someone taking his precious mate from him again.

Her smile faltered as she looked back behind her shoulder once again. This time when she turned back her features were pale and strained.

"I have to go." Her words were simple and devastating at the same time.

"No." He had lost her twice already, both by his hand. He would not allow her to leave him a third time.

"Yes, they are calling my number." Sadness seeped into her pores and flowed out of her eyes.

"I won't allow you to leave me again. I forbid it." His words grew stronger and he felt the rush of power in his veins.

"I have no choice, they are coming for me." Her trembling fingers curled tightly into his breastplate, belying her words. Tears fell unchecked down her ivory cheeks and without hesitation Vegeta raised his arms to hold her against him. They passed through thin air and her fear stricken eyes widened as she looked down at him.

A howling began, tearing up from the abyss, ripping at his senses. Darkness brewed behind Bulma and a bitter stench assailed them. A whirlwind of biting teeth and clawing talons engulfed her, pulling at her hair and shredding her clothes. Bulma clamped her hands over her ears to block out the unholy shrieking and he watched with horror as thin slashes appeared on her unprotected arms. Her crimson blood fell from her pale flesh onto his lean cheeks and droplets splattered onto his cracked armor. Her small body was dragged from his prone form by an unseen enemy and Vegeta staggered to his knees, reaching for her.

"Vegeta!" She screamed in panic, desperately reaching for him, but his hand kept passing though hers, unable to grasp her spectral image. It didn't matter now that she may only be a figment of his imagination. She was his mate and she called to him to protect her. His Saiyan instincts came to bear and his teeth gleamed in the sunlight as he snarled with ferocious intensity.

He pulled himself up off his knees and surged forward, reaching for his lover. His hand closed over hers and just for the barest instant he could feel her warm flesh under his. His fingers wrapped around her small wrist and he pulled her towards him, but then without warning her entire form dispersed into smoke and her fragile hand collapsed under his. The last thing he saw were her cerulean eyes, peering out from the swirling mist, begging him to save her.

Frantically he looked around, searching for where she may have gone, but he only saw the dirt walls of the hole Frieza had thrown him in. The grave he had laid in just a few minutes before, unable to stand on his own.

No.

She could not be gone!

No.

They could not have her!

"**NO!**"

He screamed in denial. It wasn't fair. How could she leave him again? How could they take her away from him?

Panic spilled through him, but it was quickly chased away by anger. She was his mate. They had no right to take her. An unnamed emotion took root inside of him, growing with every second. The wall that caged his power shook and moaned under the strain as the golden serpent hissed with impatience.

They had to give her back to him. If he had to march into the black depths to find her, then so help him he would. The wall shrunk a fraction and the demons that hounded his soul screeched in fright. The power wound tighter inside his gut, churning with excitement.

He needed her beside him.

Chunks of stone fell from the thick wall and a blinding bright light shone through the chinks, gaining strength with every revelation the cold warrior experienced. The dragon stretched, and the wall bulged with power. The demons that hunted him scurried back, slipping away into the darkness.

Vegeta stood at the bottom of his grave, panting as the waves of golden light washed over him. Sweat rolled off his body in rivers and his muscles clenched in expectation. Blood pounded rhythmically in his head, giving voice to a chanting that resounded in the back of his skull. Louder it roared, the voice of his people, calling to him, cheering for him.

DO IT!

They called. Over and over they cried. Their hope engulfing him. The wall strained and the serpent flexed.

There was only one way to have her back, to return her to her place by his side. So much of his life had been entrenched in darkness. Vegeta had existed for the sole reason of gaining more power. He served a monster that held his fragile soul in his scaly hands and with every passing year he had squeezed it dry, ringing every last drop of mercy from him. The engine of hate drove him on every waking second and even hounded him in his dreams, his nightmares. Never laughing, never crying, never caring, just training and killing, barely even breathing.

The power boiled and more stone fell away. Golden light breached the walls, shining through like a beacon.

Then she had come, with her annoying questions, her flirty laughter and her unwavering reverence for life. She was a flame of light in the darkness. She never questioned her faith in him that he would do the right thing by her. No one had ever asked him, as prince of an entire race, to be the things that he should be. Honorable. Respectable. Noble. She didn't ask it of him, she expected it. She saw the integrity in him not the depravity.

He had to have her back. She was his mate. His desire. His destiny. He would go no further without her by his side. His other half. His light. The whisper of compassion in his dark soul. His reason to exist.

The din of voices hushed and the dragon stilled. The powers of the universe held their breath as they watched the callous warrior who had turned into a man make his final revelation.

HE LOVED HER!

The wall burst apart in a shower of stone and steel and the golden light cascaded over him. The golden serpent inhaled deeply, consuming everything in its path. Vegeta screamed and the dragon roared as the power raced through his veins to the very tips of his black hair, casting it in a yellow glow. The light burst from the wounds on his body, shining out of him in a blinding glow before searing the cuts closed with its fiery heat. It snaked through him, knitting his bones together and making them stronger.

The power shot out the soles of his feet, burrowing deeply into the ground before shooting up in a ring of flame around him. His grave walls heaved and burst as the force of his energy thrust the soil away from him forcibly, creating a wide, deep cavern. Rock and dirt exploded as gold lightning rained down from the heavens. The sand beneath his feet turned to glass as his entire body became a blazing inferno of white fire.

The serpent exhaled, illuminating the darkness inside of the warrior with its power. It moved across the wastelands of Vegeta's mind, merging with the last remains of his soul, purifying the bloody stain that had spread unchecked.

Vegeta welcomed the strength that crouched inside of him, becoming one with it until he was the serpent, the embodiment of power. As the energy spiked through the once desolate warrior, he levitated into the air, distaining the grave that he had only moments ago accepted as his fate.

He floated above the chasm, strands of gold ki twining around him like ravenous snakes, snapping and hissing, waiting for their enemy. Vegeta opened his eyes, the teal gaze of the dragon staring out from his enlightened features, seeing for the first time. Vegeta shifted to the left, his body a subtle ripple of power. The predator tensed as he spotted his prey, the one who would die by his hand, the one who stood between him and his goal.

The resurrection of his mate.

Teal locked with ruby as the two superpowers of the universe faced off.


	30. Angels and Demons

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ, but I have repeatedly petitioned for custody of Vegeta.

Chapter Thirty

Angels and Demons

The warriors clashed without warning, their battle screams heralding the wave of power that rippled through the universe. A malevolent crimson ki snapped and howled as golden serpents slithered and hissed, each trying to consume the other. As they collided, a blinding light exploded like a super nova, thrusting energy in all directions. It swept outwards into the vastness of space, it wrapped around the planet in a burning embrace and it stabbed like a dagger into the beating heart of the world, rending the mantel asunder. Namek's life blood welled up from the wound, spilling over and burning all in its path. Everything living, feral and rational, crouched in terror as the world wept in pain.

Frieza felt his gut clench with apprehension as the vengeful warrior before him began to push him back, easily outmatching his glorious strength. The one thing that he had feared had come to pass. The Legendary. Vegeta had obtained the unobtainable. The Saiyan race's Golden Fleece.

What had happened? Frieza had been cackling madly, listening to the delirious ramblings of the beaten Saiyan while he amassed enough energy to incinerate the insolent monkey. Then inexplicably, Vegeta howled in anger, levitating out of his grave, radiating with inconceivable power. What could have happened in that short time to change the outcome of the battle? What could have pushed the broken warrior over the rocky edge of weakness and into the sea of strength?

Frieza hastily retreated, leading the shining warrior up into the sky where he glowed like a second sun. The tyrant wildly shot a barrage of ki balls in his wake, desperately trying to destroy the new threat. Vegeta pursued him relentlessly, swatting aside the blasts with ease, ignoring the planet below them that shook and moaned with each detonation. The skin of the planet became pockmarked and lava flowed into the craters, filling the wounds with scalding blood.

The two combatants continued to race through the sky, punching through the billowing clouds, disregarding their first shivers as the air grew thinner and colder. The world below them became a swirling marble of green and blue, partially hidden by the opaque blankets of mist. It grew icy and a biting wind clawed at them, forcing them to erect barriers to protect themselves. As the blasts passed through the much colder atmosphere, they become encased in a veneer of ice, freezing into hardened spheres and dropping out of the sky like magnificent white pearls from the heavens. Frieza could hear rumbling in a distance as his blasts bombarded the unprotected surface of the planet.

Vegeta's gaze only saw the pale body of his enemy and he only heard the persistent pounding of Frieza's heartbeat. It was the one sound that he needed to silence so he might finally redeem a sliver of his soul and begin to tread the path of the man he was meant to be, not the one he was taught to be. That rhythmic drumming drove him on as he chased the ice-jinn through the layers of air and mist. All Vegeta wanted was to sink his hands into the soft flesh of the monster that had ruled over him his entire life. Higher they climbed, passing out of the chilling cold and into warmer air as they neared the ceiling of the world.

Frieza glanced down at the hardened scowl of the warrior that chased him. In the past, Vegeta's callous visage had made him shiver in anticipation, but now he had to force back the tremors of fear. Vegeta should be gloating right now, savoring his new found strength over his enemy, but his deafening silence unnerved Frieza. The tyrant pushed the limits of his body, trying to escape his executioner as well as the ache of despair that was attempting to drown him. He knew there was nowhere to run and that the sands in the hourglass of his life had run short.

The air around them heated up and their shields blazed red hot as they attempted to breach the barrier that protected the planet from the solar winds of space. Fire rained down onto Namek as Frieza's blasts became more powerful with every frantic breath, setting the world aflame with his voracity.

Abruptly, the chase ended when Vegeta materialized in front of the fleeing ice-jinn, capturing him in his powerful grasp. Frieza struggled fiercely against Vegeta's hold, but no amount of strength could free him. He stilled, enthralled by the predator that stared out at him from Vegeta's teal gaze. His eyes were hypnotic like a serpent's, whispering to him of his destruction, of his death. Painfully, Frieza wrenched his gaze away from Vegeta's taking a deep breath to steady himself.

"You'd better think about what you are doing monkey. There are going to be some people, very powerful people that are going to come seeking revenge on my behalf." Frieza hissed, desperately trying to salvage the last few minutes of his life.

"Let them come." Vegeta's hollow tones eerily echoed with the voices of his people, one speaking as many." A shiver crawled down the ice-jinn's spine as dread nested in the pit of his stomach. This was wrong, it shouldn't be like this.

"Spare me and you will be rewarded." Frieza was willing to sacrifice his throne to the stronger warrior with the hopes of some day returning and wrestling it back.

"I am no pure-hearted fool to show mercy to my enemy." The gaze of the dragon bore into Frieza, showing no reason only predatory instinct to destroy the evil that dared to invade his domain.

Frieza's eyes widened and fear spiked through him unchecked. With a howl of rage, Vegeta hurled the ice-jinn away him with such force that the breath was sucked out of Frieza's lungs. He fell to the planet, clouds wisping by, passing through the fire and ice, unable to halt his careening. He impacted with the planet minutes later, the bones of his body shattering and the softer flesh of the world giving way to his scaly hide.

Frieza choked on a ragged wet breath, frantically trying to force his broken limbs to move, but his fragmented bones merely pierced deeper into his tattered viscera. A shadow fell across his face and he looked up to see a golden angel of death standing over him. He shook his head slightly, blinking at the glow. When he looked back, all he saw was Vegeta, glaring down at him impassively.

Hopelessness washed through the mighty tyrant. For so many years he had played the game, long life lending him an existence of boredom. Never had he thought that it would end this way. His conceit had blinded him to the danger of toying with the emotions of his subjects. He had never dreamed that someday someone would surpass him in strength. He thought he would die on his own terms, surrounded by his concubines, ensconced on a mountain of satin pillows.

He was certain that he would have an heir that would carry on with his bloodthirsty heritage. He stared up at the shimmering warrior, barely recognizing the dark prince that had committed so many sins in his name. He could feel his life draining away onto the soil beneath him, but a whisper of a smile ghosted over his thin lips as he stared at the stoic man above him.

Vegeta was a killer. No amount of good deeds could redeem him. The prince may have convinced himself for the moment that he could change, that he could be something other than the monster that he was, but Frieza knew differently. You couldn't deny your true nature, no matter how hard you tried. Vegeta's relentless pursuit of his master's death was proof of that. A true champion would show compassion, but the prince only thirsted for vengeance. Perhaps all was not lost. He may be dying but at least his heir would rule in his stead.

"You will be the most vicious tyrant the universe has ever seen." Blood pooled in Frieza's mouth and his prophecy was carried on a dank sea of crimson that spewed over his lips.

Vegeta leaned down, grasping Frieza's head between his strong hands, looking deeply into the monster's ruby eyes. "I choose to be different." At his guttural vow, Vegeta stepped down onto Frieza chest, his foot sinking deeply into the cavity as he wrenched the screaming tyrant's head from his body. He ignored spurt of blood that splattered onto him and drenched the ground. Without a word, Vegeta stepped back, scraping his foot off on a nearby rock and tucking the dripping tyrant's head under his arm.

He climbed out of the huge crater, surveying the destruction of the battle. The world was bathed in fire, broken and battered. The planet trembled beneath his feet as it struggled to keep from imploding in on itself. Lava ran in rivers, the thick veins burning everything in its path. Vegeta raised his head to stare at the sky, so blue, so pure, just like her eyes.

Without warning his massive power drained away, leaving him aching and barren. He fell back, still staring at the clouds, all of his strength evaporating in the wind. The wounds from his battle reopened and his bones cracked under his weight.

He had obtained his goal. He had defeated his master and freed himself from servitude. He clutched the disembodied head closer to his chest as he stared up at the ocean of blue while ignoring the shaking of the planet beneath him.

"I did it Bulma." His voice was a raw, hoarse whisper.

"Great. Now get off your lazy Saiyan ass and get moving." Bulma's sharp tones invaded his ears, causing him to wince in pain. His head lolled to the side and he scowled up at her. She stood over him, her arms akimbo as she glared murderously down at him. His shock at hearing her voice faded to anger as he stared at her. He had killed her tormentor, he held the monster's head in his arms, ready to gift her with it and she was harping at him to get up. A man had a right to a moment of rest after battle.

"What?" He growled, quickly noting that she looked unharmed from her earlier ordeal. Perhaps he really was going crazy and was just producing hallucinations as it pleased him. Could he really believe anything that he saw? What if it was all just a fantasy? What if he wasn't even here on Namek? Vegeta snorted at that thought. If he wasn't here then he had some very foul things to say to his subconscious.

She pointed out over the horizon, her mouth a hard line of seriousness. "Someone is stealing your wishes Vegeta and if you don't get up you are going to be shit out of luck."

His head whipped to the other side and he absently absorbed the fact that the planet wasn't pockmarked or scarred anymore. The tremors beneath him as he had lain on the ground were of the planet reforming to its glory. In the horizon he could see an unnatural darkness hanging in the air and a sense of something powerful lurking.

He looked back at Bulma, but she had already disappeared and he grumbled something about women and their infernal timing. He pulled himself up off the ground, grunting at the sheer amount of effort that it took. He stood shakily, tucking Frieza's head back under his arm as he desperately scrambled for enough energy to levitate off the ground and fly the few scant miles that he needed to cover.

After much straining he rose in the air and flew with jerky movements towards the spreading darkness and with each passing mile he regained some of his strength as anger pumped through him. No one dared to steal from the Prince of All Saiyans and expected to live.

As he neared the pillar of land that housed the Namekian sage, he could see a group of aliens gathered around the golden spheres but more surprisingly, he saw a great dragon. It hovered over the group, its deep green serpentine body looping over itself and its thick arms crossed over its massive chest as it glared down at the Nameks. The dragon looked as annoyed as Vegeta felt and the prince couldn't help to feel a moment of kinship with the beast. Perhaps it had something to do with his ascension or mayhap it was because this was the being that would grant him his greatest desire.

Steeling himself, Vegeta floated down to the group, schooling his features into a frown of displeasure. He landed heavily and he allowed Frieza's head to fall to the ground, pretending nonchalance as it bounced in front of him, before rolling to a halt. The Nameks gasped, shuddering with horror at the sight. The small boy that he had held captive earlier jumped back to hide behind Guru and Nail stepped forward to shield his father from the bloody warrior. Vegeta allowed a wicked smirk to claim his features as he studied their reactions. It never hurt to intimidate the huddled masses when necessary.

"What the fuck do you think you are doing, you green freaks? Those are my wishes you are thieving." Vegeta's guttural voice sent shocks of fear racing up the spines of everyone standing nearby, except for the large Namek who just looked at him with a serene smile.

"We were just returning our planet to its unspoiled splendor. Surely you understand, since you are the one who destroyed it. You still have two wishes at your disposal. By all means, ask and they will be granted." Guru's tranquil pitch washed over Vegeta, easing the aches and pains of his numerous wounds. His mouth had dropped open to rip into the older man, but the weakness that permeated him was growing with every passing second. He would deal with the Namek's thievery at a later time, at this moment he needed to take care of more pressing business.

"I wish that my mate, Bulma Briefs was alive and well." His words rang out with confidence, not a hint of hesitation tainting the clear tones. He wanted his mate back and he wanted her back now. He had wasted enough time.

Guru nudged the small boy who hid behind him and he stepped forward timidly, speaking some language that Vegeta could not understand. There was a pause and then a deep rumbling as the massive dragon replied. Vegeta looked at the boy expectantly and Dende trembled slightly under the scrutiny.

"Y-your wish has been granted." The boy whispered, not daring to look up at the hard warrior.

Vegeta glanced around, looking for a flash of teal and finding nothing but green. His demonic black eyes locked onto the boy again and Dende stepped back into the warmth of Guru's arms.

"You lie. She's not here," Vegeta growled harshly. Fury swept through him as he glared at the Nameks. How dare they try to trick him. Even in his weakened state he could easily destroy them.

"It is no lie, Prince Vegeta. She has been returned to life in the exact spot where she died. Wherever that may be." Guru waved his hand leisurely, but he did not miss the flash of fear the passed through Vegeta's eyes.

Panic flooded Vegeta at Guru's words. If they were true then that meant that Bulma was back on Capital World, standing in the middle of Frieza's throne room. The soldiers there would still be loyal to their master and they would kill her on sight. She could already be dead, depending if anyone had been standing in the room when she had manifested.

Vegeta stepped forward, backhanding Nail away from him with ease and snatching up the boy by the scruff of the neck.

"Tell the dragon that I want my mate here, in front of me this instant!" Vegeta punctuated his demand by shaking the boy ruthlessly. Guru reached out his hand, resting it on the boy's shoulder, stilling Vegeta's punishment.

"Is that your last wish, Prince Vegeta?" Guru's keen eyes swept over Vegeta's visage, searching his soul.

"Yes! That is my wish!" Vegeta was no fool, he knew what the old man was asking him. He understood what he was losing, but it was inconsequential. The only thing that he cared about was keeping Bulma safe. She had to stay alive. He could not continue to exist in this state of half life, forever seeing her but never holding her. He needed her by his side to complete him.

The ritual words were spoken and Vegeta's entire body clenched as he held his breath. There was a blinding flash of light and he was forced to close his eyes, but he quickly reopened them to meet the clear blue of hers. His heart thudded to a stop and he released his breath in a shuddering gasp. She blinked, once, twice as her brow creased with confusion.

"Vegeta?" Her voice was raspy as though she hadn't used it in a long while and she raised her hand to massage her throat. She looked around nervously at the strange creatures that encircled her, but she knew that they were no threat to her. Vegeta would never allow them to touch her. However, she was at a complete loss as to what was happening. One minute, Vegeta had been glaring at her with deadly intent and the next moment she was completely alone in the throne room. Now a heartbeat later she was outside staring at Vegeta again.

"What's going on?" At her words, Vegeta felt his knees tremble as his strength ebbed away. So much had happened, how could he tell her about it all when he could barely string together a coherent sentence. One thing kept repeating over and over in his head, pleading for an answer.

"Are you really here?" He whispered.

She had been scanning the area, searching for clues as to what had happened, but at his raw, emotion filled words she looked back at him. She cocked her head to the side, uncertain of what he was asking her. Of course she was here, the question was how had she gotten here? The creatures that stood around them had the look of Nameks, but what was she doing on Namek? More importantly, what was she doing alive?

Vegeta couldn't believe his eyes. They lied to him repeatedly and they could not be trusted. He needed to prove that she really was there, standing before him. That she was flesh and blood and not a delusion of a guilty mind. Vegeta reached out a shaking hand, gently brushing his fingers over her cheek, lightly at first but then applying more pressure while displaying exquisite care at the same time. He could feel her satin soft skin under his rough fingertips, he could see the rise and fall of her chest with every breath she took and he could feel the heat of her flesh against his. She was alive, she was real.

All of his strength deserted him and he fell to his knees in exhaustion. Bulma darted forward to catch him, nearly tripping when her foot kicked something on the ground. She held her hands up in surprise when his forehead fell against her flat stomach, resting against her solid form. She stood there for a brief moment, stumped at Vegeta's show of weakness while trying to rationalize the last few minutes.

She looked down and she gasped with shock when she saw the severed head of her tormentor. Frieza glared soullessly up at her, his mouth wrenched open in a silent scream of fury. She swallowed rapidly as she glanced around, noting the seven gray stones that lay in a ring on the ground and the still darkened sky that held a vague outline of a some sort of serpent.

Her eyes widened as her brilliant mind easily solved her pressing questions. Vegeta killed Frieza. He had ripped off the tyrant's head like he'd vowed and he had gathered the dragon balls here on Namek. She began to tremble as the truth became clearer. Not only had Vegeta killed their enemy but he had wished her back to life. Her entire being stilled with shock as she absorbed her astounding realization. He had the ability to wish for anything his heart desired and he had asked for her. She was what he wanted more than anything in the universe. Her heart swelled until she thought it would burst from her chest. Her demon knight loved her, the proof was right here in front of her.

She lowered her hands to brush against the heated skin of his nape, murmuring words of comfort to him with each stroke, holding him close to her, knowing that she would never let go again.

Bulma's teal hair hung unbound, draping around the warrior like a shield and the Nameks, most never seeing a female before were stunned by her beauty. Her ivory skin glowed with an inner light, a residual effect from being resurrected, but it made her appear ethereal. Her clear sapphire eyes were like a fey nymph's that had descended from the clouds to dance with the mortals. Love and caring reflected in their depths as she looked at the man at her feet.

The beast that exuded such terrible power knelt before her, absorbing her essence, craving her touch. Seeping wounds littered his body and blood flowed freely from the cuts. There was a spray of crimson across his breastplate and his hands were stained scarlet from his enemy's blood. He was fierce and deadly, everything they feared. The Nameks felt a flutter of panic as the woman lowered her hands to caress the warrior. They watched in awe as the bloody demon was soothed by the gentle touch of the blue-haired angel that had appeared magically in their midst. Their forms were a shadow against the backdrop of the darkened sky that was rapidly clearing. A fantasy given flesh, a nightmare formed into a dream, a demon and an angel, a man and a woman.

A secret smile hovered on Guru's lips as he nodded contentedly. The universe released its cosmic breath as the two lovers were reunited as it was written before time began in the glittering of the stars.


	31. Familiar Strangers

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ, which we have established more than once.

Warning: Some lemony content. cough

Chapter Thirty-One

Familiar Strangers

Vegeta leaned heavily on Bulma as they staggered up to Frieza's ship. The Saiyan's wounds were grave, but not life threatening if he got into a regeneration tank quickly enough. Unfortunately for them, Frieza's ship was the only one that had the tanks available. As they approached the bottom of the landing plank the thick steel door to the ship slid open. Vegeta stiffened and pulled away from Bulma, nudging her behind him as he protectively stepped forward. He was expecting to be greeted by warriors loyal to the dead lord, but instead the opening of the door revealed a tall, olive-skinned man, who looked down on them with a half-smile.

"Lord Vegeta, welcome to your ship." From behind Zarbon, Frieza's regiment stepped forward, flanking the gangway in a formal greeting of respect and obedience. Though the men faced forward impassively as trained, more than one flicked their eyes towards the Saiyan prince and his blue-haired consort. Though her beauty was renown, it did not keep their attention for long. With stunned awe they watched the slow drip of blood from their former lord's severed head that swung from the battered warrior's fist.

Vegeta raised his head regally and he swelled with pride. He had achieved his ultimate goal and defeated his master. He was the new lord of the universe and no one would dare disobey him once they saw the proof of his gargantuan strength displayed on his throne room wall. He had finally avenged his people and taken his rightful place as king. It pained him greatly that only two full-blooded Saiyans lived to see his victory, but it did not dull his glory. When he met his people in the next dimension, it would as an emperor not an orphan prince.

Zarbon's eyes widened when he glimpsed Bulma standing behind Vegeta. She was alive and well. His bemused gaze was captured by the ruthless warrior's stare and Zarbon barely caught himself before his jaw unhinged. The mighty Saiyan prince had made a wish, not for power or riches, but to bring Bulma back to life. Joy radiated through him at the sight of his friend as he silently vowed to serve the man who killed his sadistic master and restored his only confidant to him.

Vegeta reached back, taking hold of Bulma's slender arm as he strode up the walkway, ignoring the screaming ache of his body. They stopped in front of Zarbon, watching as a slow grin of satisfaction spread across the handsome man's face at the sight of Frieza's head, whose mouth gaped open hideously. His jade eyes rose to meet hard obsidian. Zarbon held Vegeta's gaze unflinchingly and was rewarded by the new lord's curt nod of respect.

"I knew you'd win. So I came back to prepare the ship for you. The men were quick to fall in line after some persuasion." Zarbon's cool tones washed over the crowd and a few bruised men grimaced, but they continued to stare straight ahead.

Zarbon did not feel the need to share his original intentions with the warrior. When he'd awoken at the bottom of the sea he had known that Vegeta had spared him and he'd recoiled physically from the knowledge. Zarbon felt such loathing at himself for his inaction back on Capital World while they tortured Bulma that he had felt a rush of despair. So he had returned to the ship with the bitter intention of rebelling against his master so he might finally end his filthy existence as the tyrant's whore. Zarbon's knees had nearly buckled when he felt Frieza's life force extinguish and a renewed sense of purpose coursed through his veins now that his tormentor was dead.

"Of course there was no doubt that I would be victorious. I am a Saiyan prince, undefeatable in battle." Vegeta's words were arrogant and boastful, never hinting at any doubt.

"Of course, my Lord. Would you like me to direct the ship to Capital World?" Zarbon questioned formally, eager to please the new leader of the universe, without being insipid.

Vegeta looked down at his pale mate, who was still slightly dazed from her ordeal. Her shining sapphire eyes gazed up at him, acceptance of the fact that he needed to claim the seat of power as quickly as possible, visible in their depths. Vegeta was entranced by her eyes and was unable to look away. Time was of the essence, every minute that he wasted not securing his throne would mean more turmoil for him in the future.

Bulma was pleased at the amount of respect that was being shown to Vegeta by men who had scorned him his entire life. He was finally getting the venation that he deserved as a warrior, as a prince, as a man. She reached out, never hesitating at placing her dainty white hand in his blood stained palm, squeezing his fingers reassuringly. She did not doubt that he would rush to Capital World and solidify his position as Emperor. He had finally achieved everything he had trained his entire life for and she supported that fully.

Without looking away from her Vegeta issued his order to Zarbon. "No, first we will go to retrieve our son."

Bulma's eyes widened subtly before they began to sparkle with a mixture of unshed tears and love. Vegeta's breath hitched in his chest and he swore that he would never do anything to make that look drain away. He ached to pull her closer to him, but the heavy stare of so many eyes made him pause.

Bulma's heart stumbled to a stop at Vegeta's order. For a minute she thought she had misunderstood, but he continued to watch her, gauging her reaction, looking for her approval. She had never dreamed that her proud prince would choose their family over his throne. In the past he had always been so cold, so distant, but now he looked at her like she was his universe, his everything. Her heart swelled in her chest until it throbbed. She never thought that loving someone could hurt so much, but she would rather die again than lose that feeling.

Zarbon watched the exchange, before nodding his head in understanding. "Well, you heard him you maggots, prepare the ship for lift off." The men turned sharply on their heels and double-timed it into the ship. Zarbon stepped to the side, stretching his arm out in welcome.

"Please allow me to escort you to the Regeneration Chamber, my Lord." He intoned formally. With a nod, Vegeta and Bulma stepped into their new ship. Vegeta had to suppress the urge to grin at the thought. Now that he was Emperor, he commanded legions and was the ruler of entire galaxies. Vegeta could barely hide the excitement he felt at entering Frieza's ship as its new lord and master. His back straightened and his shoulders pulled back as he raised his chin to an arrogant tilt. These men were his now. He had proven himself in battle to be the most powerful being in the universe and he ruled by right of strength.

A small frown hardened his features as he observed more than one man glancing at him slyly from the corner of his eye. He may have defeated Frieza and taken his head, but he had done nothing yet to prove that he was their new master. He pulled Bulma closer to him as they strode down the hall, glaring murderously at all possible threats.

They entered a room that housed five tanks and a surgical table. Once Vegeta was certain that no one else was in the room he left Bulma's side to program the nearest tank to accept a new patient. He had been badly wounded in his initial battle with the ice-jinn, but his transformation had helped heal the worst of his damage. He would only need about an hour in the tank to rejuvenate his depleted strength and blood loss.

Bulma turned to Zarbon, reaching out to take his hand. She cradled it between her palms as she looked up at her handsome friend. They had grown up together, survived the horrors of court life and now they had gained their freedom from their sadistic master. "I'm so glad that you are alive, my dear friend. I feared for your safety while back on Capital World."

Zarbon smiled down at her, still overwhelmed at the pleasure of seeing his oldest friend alive and well. Vegeta snorted at her words. If only his mate knew how close the man had come to death. He turned away from the tank, catching sight of another male touching his Bulma. He growled fiercely and took a step forward, but Zarbon was quicker. The man snatched his hand back from Bulma and stepped away from her while she glanced over her shoulder, directing a frown towards Vegeta, which he ignored. He continued to glare at the green man, who shifted his weight nervously while clearing his throat.

Bulma turned back to Zarbon, hiding her face as her frown faded and a smile curved at the corners of her lips. Zarbon blinked and took another step back to be sure. Bulma sighed and resigned herself to never touching another man, friendly or not, as long as she was mated to the most powerful male in the universe. She looked down at her stained shirt, plucking at the hem distastefully.

"Is there any place I can shower and get a change of clothes Zarbon?" Before he could respond to her request, Vegeta cut him off.

"You are not to leave this room, woman." Vegeta crossed his arms, watching as her back stiffened at his tone. No time like the present to get back into the habit of infuriating his mate. Some normalcy would restore their equilibrium. Besides, there was no way that he was going to let her out of his sight on a ship full of men that had only moments ago been informed of their new status as his servants. He had made many enemies throughout the years and until he was sure that he commanded the full loyalty of his new soldiers, his mate was going to have to stay by his side where he could protect her.

She whipped around to face him and he watched as she took a steadying breath. His mate always tried to count to ten before addressing anything that he had said that made her mad in the first place. Of course this technique rarely worked.

"But Vegeta, I'm dirty and I really want to take a shower." She wheedled, mistakenly thinking she could cajole him to her will rather than force him. He nodded his head to the left, motioning to the other side of the room.

"There's a shower woman. Use it." Her huge eyes swung to the left of the room, spotting a single shower that was nothing more than a nozzle and a drain in the floor. It was used to rinse the regeneration fluid from a person's body after getting out of the tank. It didn't even have hot water.

Vegeta watched with the same fascinated awe that he always did when her cheeks bloomed red with anger and her generous mouth thinned with displeasure. Her hands fisted at her sides as she turned back to him and he braced himself for the enraged shriek that was coming.

"I want a real shower. Not some two second rinse in freezing water." Vegeta cocked a brow as her words echoed around the room. Zarbon winced and took another step back towards the door. He loved his friend, but if she chose to speak to the deadly warrior in that tone, it was her own business. You can't help those who are suicidal.

With a whisper of displaced air, Vegeta was standing in front of Bulma, causing her to blink in surprise. He reached up his hand to brush her hair back from her cheek, before dropping his head down close to hers so Zarbon could not hear his words. Vegeta had been thinking for some time about Bulma's temperament and he had come to the conclusion that if he gave her a reasonable explanation for his actions, instead of ordering her around, she was much more manageable.

"Woman, this ship has just recently been commandeered by us. Some of the men may not have accepted me as their ruler. You could be in danger if you left this room." Vegeta didn't mention his other reason. The fact that he wasn't ready for her to be absent from his sight just yet. He still expected her to disappear in a whiff of smoke and be gone from his side forever. He needed her near him, reassuring him every second with her very presence that she wasn't going to abandon him.

Bulma stared up him with an owlish expression on her face. For a moment, she honestly didn't know what to do. What had happened to Vegeta to change him so much? She nodded her head slowly in agreement and she was rewarded with a genuine smile from her bloody prince that made her heart sing. Maybe being more flexible wouldn't be so bad if he kept smiling at her. Besides she had finally convinced him to speak to her about his concerns instead of demanding that she obey him like a lap dog. She was sure that he would snap at her in the future, but at least they were making headway. Maybe dying wasn't so bad after all, if it affected him this way.

Vegeta turned away from her, satisfaction curling in his gut. He had finally outsmarted his genius mate and circumvented a fight that would have lasted an hour. Of course, this wasn't as pleasurable as infuriating her, but he didn't have the stamina for that right now and he didn't want her sneaking off once he was incapacitated in the tank.

Bulma turned back to Zarbon, who now had one foot out the door, while a slight frown ghosted over her features. She couldn't get over the feeling that Vegeta thought he had pulled one over on her, but that frown disappeared when she realized how quickly they had fallen back into a comfortable routine together. Zarbon ascertained the situation and was already telling Bulma that he would be right back with clothes and some soap, before he darted out the door. He wasn't a coward. He just didn't want to be caught in the middle of a domestic squabble. Relationships, beyond the physical kind, were something that definitely made him nervous.

Bulma turned back in time to see Vegeta's shredded uniform fall to the ground in a tattered heap. Her breath hitched as her eyes roved over the hard planes of Vegeta's back, scarred by numerous beatings. She felt her heart wrench at the memory those marks represented. Some of them were wrought by Frieza's hand and Bulma felt a wave of exhilaration as she thought of the tyrant's death, but some were a reminder of his time spent as a prisoner of the Resistance. She had felt such loss and fear when he had been taken from her. Was that how Vegeta had felt when she had died? Was that why he was so different now? On the outside he was still the same hard warrior she had always known, but she could see something in his eyes, a haunting in his soul that only she noticed. Had something happened while he fought Frieza? Her eyes darted over to the gruesome head that Vegeta had placed on the surgical table, but she was drawn back to a much more alluring sight.

Her wandering eyes skimmed over the tight muscles of Vegeta's lower back and she noted that he deserved a massage as a reward for all the arduous tasks he had performed today. Her small tongue darted out to moisten her pink lips as she feasted on Vegeta' perfectly sculpted buttocks. It seemed like eternity since she had smoothed her hand over his flesh, but the memory was achingly fresh. She knew that he felt like heated velvet poured over solid marble and desire spiraled in her belly at the thought. He was hard and unyielding, but he fitted next to her soft curves like they were made for each other.

She watched in hypnotized fascination as his rich, dark brown tail waved absently, curling at the tip as though it was beckoning her to touch it. Her fingers began to itch with the need to stroke the appendage and memories of the sensation of it pressed against her core caused shivers of pleasure to cascade over her body.

Vegeta stepped into the tank and as he turned to face outwards she was treated to a breathtaking peek of his fully erect shaft. She gasped and her eyes darted up to meet his laughing gaze. Laughing? Was he amused by her? Bulma fought the urge to collapse into a dead faint. She could only handle so many shocks in a day.

Vegeta snatched up the oxygen mask and sat down on the bench waiting for the liquid to fill the tank. Teasing his Bulma was just as amusing as he remembered it and he looked forward to many long hours of satisfying the lust he had seen etched on her face. Her scent had been so potent while he disrobed that he hadn't been able to control his answering surge of desire. To further inflame her, he allowed his tail to unwind from his waist and wave at her insinuatingly. He never quite understood her fascination with his tail, but he had no reservations about using it to his advantage.

His eyes drifted closed as the fluid began to work its magic, trying to lure him into a cloud of contentment. He forced himself to remain aware of his surroundings, his senses honing in on his mate's faint ki. He lifted his lids, watching as Zarbon entered, exchanging words with Bulma while handing her some clothes and bottles, before leaving quickly. Vegeta smirked as he observed the formal way the verdant man treated his mate, without any of the previous familiarity he had displayed earlier. Now that he was in control, he would make damn sure that no other male would ever touch her again.

He felt a dangerous growl vibrate in his chest as unwelcome thoughts intruded on him. His cold eyes glared at the grisly visage of his dead master, Frieza's words ringing in his head. Vegeta had made a partial amends for his sins against his mate with the figment that haunted him on the battlefield, but his flesh and blood Bulma still suffered. He pulled his gaze away from the severed head of his enemy, choosing to look at something more appealing. He watched as his mate paced over to the shower area, which was in clear view of his tank, to place the clothes on a nearby chair.

Should he bring up his dishonorable actions that had brought her such pain? Should he stir up those memories? He watched as she gracefully moved over to a nearby shelf, picking up a large specimen jar and tucking it under her arm. She deserved something from him, but what? An apology? He didn't think he could wring those words from his lips again, even if they did screech in his head. He had too much pride, too much arrogance.

She walked up to Frieza's head and with only the slightest hesitation, her trembling hands darted out to snatch it up, dropping it into the jar with a sneer of disgust. Vegeta watched her curiously, wondering what she could possibly be doing. She moved over to a small steel tank, placing the jar under a spigot and turning it on. Yellowish liquid poured into the jar and Frieza's head bobbed ghoulishly. Vegeta realized that Bulma was preserving the head, making sure that his trophy would remain pristine until he could get it stuffed and mounted on his wall. His mate was always thinking of him and it warmed his heart. He didn't think he would ever get used to someone who took into account his needs and desires and moved to fulfill them for the sheer pleasure of making him happy instead of trying to avoid being incinerated by his wrath.

She screwed on the lid to the jar and placed it squarely on the table, where it would be safe. He wouldn't mention the past to her. He would treat her with the reverence that she deserved as his queen, as his mate and he would make sure that no one would ever hurt her again. He would spend his life making amends by keeping her safe and happy. If she ever wanted to mention her experiences to him he would listen, it would drive him insane, but he would bear it for her. He owed it to her.

She stood by the shower now, turning the knob while testing the water. She frowned with annoyance as the spray turned from cold to down right icy. He made a mental note to make sure that she had the opportunity to soak in a bubble bath by the night's end. She adored spending hours pruning in the tub and it had been the center of many fights back on Primus, where they only had one bathroom to share. He smirked devilishly at the tantalizing thought of his mate clothed in a shimmering gown of bubbles. Of course, he would be her side to make sure that she was safe. After all, rubber duckies could be quite dangerous if provoked.

She dropped her bedraggled clothes to the floor, stripping quickly and efficiently while shivering as the air blew over her sensitive skin. She stepped under the cold spray, hissing as the water hit her, causing her flesh to pimple. She began to pant as her heart raced to pump blood through her veins, rushing it to the surface to try and warm her rapidly chilling body. Vegeta felt his own chest heave and he realized that he was panting as well, but for a completely different reason. All of his blood was rushing south, leaving him light-headed.

He watched, enthralled with the bounce of her full breasts as the water ran down over her ivory hued flesh, her nipples pebbling and turning dusky under the spray. She snatched up a bar of soup, hastily lathering herself while taking the time to make sure she was thoroughly clean. She had spent some time in a prison cell without any of the conveniences she was used to and she felt grimy.

Vegeta felt his body tighten, as the suds slipped over her skin, sliding down her breasts, to trail over her slightly rounded stomach. He absorbed the changes in her body from bearing his heir. Her breasts were riper, her hips rounder, her body was lush and utterly bitable. He ached with the need to hold her against him, to feel her soft curves melt into him as he caressed her satin skin. He needed to taste her, drink her, to consume her.

She bent over to retrieve a small bottle and he tilted his head slightly to the side so he could get a complete view her tantalizing backside. He grit his teeth as need clawed at his gut, his arousal becoming painful even with the sedatives that he absorbed through the murky fluid. She straightened, pouring a creamy substance in the center of her palm. She stretched her arms up as her head lolled back on her delicate neck causing her breasts to jut forward and giving him a perfect view of her profile.

Her eyes fluttered closed and her pink lips parted as her breaths continued to came quick and hard. Her cheeks were flushed and the rosy color spread down over her chest. She looked like she was in the throes of an orgasm and Vegeta could barely restrain himself. Her long teal hair waved down to her waist, the wet tips sticking to her lower back, teasing the crest of her rounded bottom. She worked the soap through her tresses, making sure not to miss a strand before rinsing it clean.

Vegeta didn't think he could take anymore. He could feel his ki starting to raise, his animal instincts taking over. If the tank did not release him soon, it would explode under the force of his aura. She finished her shower and hopped out of the stall, snatching up a towel and briskly rubbing herself dry. She flipped over again, making the Saiyan groan in pain as she wrapped up her hair in the cloth. How do woman do that? He wondered absently as she stood up and shook out the set of garments that sat on the chair.

He watched as she stepped into a pair of loose-legged airy white pants, chuckling as she studied her newest dilemma. The pants were obviously owned by a man, probably plundered from Zarbon's closet and they were much to long for her. After a moment of consideration, she decided on folding the waist over a couple of times before securing it with a cloth belt she had been provided. She lifted her pale foot and placed it on the chair to turn up the cuff of her pant leg.

Vegeta fought the urge to bang his head against the glass as the material clung to her still damp bottom, turning opaque from the moisture. She still hadn't put on the top and her breasts dangled, begging him to stalk up behind her and cup them in his palms. She grabbed up the flowing white shirt, made of the same material as her pants and dropped it over her head. It fell to well below the curve of her bottom and the sleeves poured over her hands. She turned towards him while she busied herself folding up the sleeves and Vegeta gulped. Would the pain never end? Too long had he been without his mate, without her soft touch. His body screamed for release.

The top opened into a deep vee, reaching to down her midriff. He growled as she began to lace the strays, closing the alluring gap. Even after she was laced up, the top still gaped low on her chest, revealing the swell of her breasts to his gaze. The material gathered under the curve, her pink nipples clearly visible under the damp cloth.

She sat down on the chair, dropping her head between her knees as she began to scrunch her hair dry with the towel. Unexpectedly the tank dinged, signifying the end of the regeneration cycle and Bulma's blue eyes shot up to meet his. She inhaled sharply when she saw the smoky desire burning in their ebony depths. Bulma had completely forgotten that Vegeta never surrendered to sleep while in the tank and her cheeks heated with the realization that he had watched her every move.

She felt a tug deep inside of her when she looked at her handsome lover. She could feel his call, the primal cry of one mate to another. Unaware, she moved towards him like she was floating on a cloud, only seeing the need that howled inside of him. Her body ached to sooth his, to claim her own pleasure while satisfying him. As the fluid drained away, he regained partial movement and his hand darted up to lay flat against the window. Without thought she reached up, pressing her palm against his, only the thin glass separating them. Briefly she was reminded of the first time their eyes had met. It seemed like it was so long ago, another life, a different time. He had been floating in a similar tank, his enemy dead at her feet and her life blood draining away, but she remembered the impact his ebony eyes had on her. Deep down, she had always known that he was the one. The one that fate had chosen for her.

The last of the fluid swirled away and Vegeta ripped the mask from his face while reaching for the handle to the door. Unfortunately for Zarbon, he chose that moment to walk into the room. He didn't miss the heated blush on Bulma's face as she whirled around to face him and he definitely noticed the ferocious growl that emanated from the vicinity of his new lord. He damned himself for his timing, in much the same way the other inhabitants in the room were doing. Zarbon rolled his eyes, he was thrice damned and there was no beautiful angel in his immediate future to save him.

"I prepared a room for you and made sure that there was plenty of food to satisfy your appetites." Zarbon smirked at the pair. As the top court courtesan he was an expert when it came to seduction. He had personally selected the items on the menu for their sensual nature, knowing that he would more than likely not see the royal couple for several days.

"I have taken the liberty of placing you in my own personal quarters. I thought they may be more comfortable." Zarbon held his breath, hoping that Vegeta did not explode in rage for an imagined insult. He knew that Bulma would want avoid Frieza's bedchamber, but Vegeta may want to lay claim to what was rightfully his. Bulma flashed her friend a grateful look and both were shocked when Vegeta remained quiet.

Vegeta ignored the tension in the room, but he was silently thankful to the concubine for being intuitive enough to tactfully avoid a potential problem. He stalked over to the shower, turning on the water. Without hesitation he stepped under the spray, allowing the regeneration fluid to be washed away. Damn! The water was cold! He was surprised that the woman hadn't shrieked loud enough to be heard across the ship. He quickly rinsed and jumped out of the shower, drying off before walking to a nearby locker to retrieve a standard issue uniform.

When they returned to Capital World, Vegeta would have the ice-jinn's rooms gutted and he would allow his mate to redecorate them to her taste or if it pleased her he would have the entire ship torn apart for scrap metal. This thought took him down another unpleasant path and he promised himself that he would build her a new palace as well. He would have the tyrant's home that lay in a cold mountain region, demolished and they would relocate to a warmer clime, building something that suited them.

He finished dressing and he walked up to his mate, grasping her by the arm, pulling her from the room. It was time to cleanse his mind of these thoughts and banish all memory of the ice-jinn from his mate's mind. He intended on branding her with his heated touch and even hotter mouth until nothing else remained.

Zarbon followed behind, silently laughing as the two lovers practically raced down the corridors.


	32. Reunion

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ and we all know how I feel about the adult content that could have been added. wink

Warning! Do I hear lemonade being poured? I believe I do. You know the drill. You don't have to read, but there will be fluff. Kind of. I mean, it is Vegeta. You might just want to skip down to the author notes on the bottom.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Reunion

Bulma drifted into the dimly lit room ahead of the two men, inhaling deeply as the comforting jewel tones washed over her. The room was draped in rich green satins and blue silks, perfectly suiting the man who inhabited it while bring to mind bottomless pools of tranquil water.

Vegeta's penetrating gaze never left Bulma's slender back as he watched her gracefully float across the floor to a heavily laden table that was overflowing with ripe fruit and decadent treats. He pretended to listen as Zarbon informed him of their departure and that the coordinates Bulma had given him while Vegeta was in the tank had been programmed into the navigational computer.

Bulma's delicate fingers reached out to pluck a sweet berry from the vine, moaning with delight as she took her first bite. It seemed like it had been years since she had anything to eat and the last thing she remembered consuming had been thin prison gruel. The fruit burst in her mouth, electrifying her taste buds and sending little shivers through her entire body. From across the room, Vegeta could smell her pleasure and he felt rooted to the spot as lust rampaged through his already heated body. After a few minutes he realized with disgust that Zarbon had stopped speaking sometime ago and was now waiting patiently to be excused. Vegeta nodded curtly to him, before stepping inside the room and allowing the door to close behind him.

Bulma heard the hiss of the door closing and she could not stop the mixture of apprehension and longing that swept through her. It had been so long since she had been alone with Vegeta, just the two of them, without having to worry about who was watching. Their last night together had been passionate and breathtaking but it did not assuage the nervousness that fluttered in her stomach. In the last few hours since her awaking, as she had come to think of it, Vegeta had displayed an uncharacteristic amount of emotion towards her. To anyone else watching he still seemed to be the distant and untouchable prince that demanded obedience to his will, but Bulma could see the change inside of him and it unsettled her. She didn't necessarily feel that it was a bad thing, but she didn't know how to respond to him. She wasn't sure if she knew who he was anymore.

These fears did nothing to lesson the intense attraction that she felt for him. A clawing need tore at her soul whenever she looked at him or sensed his presence near her. She would have gladly lain down on the cold steel floor in the regeneration room and allowed him access to her willing body if Zarbon hadn't appeared when he had. The gnawing ache in her belly argued that it would have been her doing the ravaging and she smirked at the thought of the strong warrior pinned beneath her. Though so much time had passed and many things were different, he was still the man she had fallen in love with. No matter how many doubts she felt at this moment she could never forget one blaring fact. Vegeta had wished her back. No matter what he said or what he didn't say for that matter, Vegeta wanted her and that knowledge made her heart melt.

Vegeta saw the slight tensing of her body when the door closed and he cursed himself for scaring her. He had moved too quickly in the regeneration room and now she was frightened that he would leap on her like a wild animal and rightly so. He could feel the need to claim his mate straining at the fragile chains that held it in check. He took a deep breath, calming himself and reining in his rampant desires. He had to take it slow. Although she was his mate, it had been many months since he had seen her and their last meeting had not been the most pleasant.

He paced slowly across the room, silently gliding up behind her, being sure not to make any sudden movements that may startle her. Her head was lowered as if to examine the contents of the table, but her eyes had stopped roaming several minute ago and she was staring steadfastly at one spot. She gripped the table's edge like it was a life boat, the only anchor that she had in a sea of lust. She had swept her hair up into a messy bun and her damp tresses straggled down, unruly just like her. The pale nape of her neck called to him and he licked his lips in anticipation of tasting her sweet skin.

Bulma could feel him move across the room, stalking her like she was his prey. He stopped only centimeters behind her, his hot breath feathering over the sensitive skin of her neck, but he made no move to touch her. She couldn't tell if she was relieved or disappointed. Her mind was a jangle of thoughts and emotions, still blurry from her awakening, but her body knew exactly what it wanted. It needed the affirmation of her lover's hands on her flesh, caressing her, reassuring her that she was indeed alive and not laying in some shallow grave somewhere.

Her chin dipped towards her chest and her neck arched alluringly, seeking the source of the warm breath that flowed over her. Vegeta's heart skipped a beat when he saw her beckoning gesture and he had to close his eyes to control the beast that roared with exhilaration. He leaned down, lightly brushing his lips over the back of her neck, swiping his moist tongue over her pounding pulse. The need to mark her staggered him with its sheer intensity. He realized belatedly that they no longer shared a mind bond and the need to renew it nearly drove him crazy. He contained himself, reassuring the pacing beast that he would have more than enough time to satisfy his desires.

Bulma's breath hitched as she felt Vegeta's hot tongue swath over her cool neck. Her fingers tightened on the table, her knuckles whitening under the strain. His mouth became more insistent, lathering her with kisses and sucking at her flesh. His arms encircled her and without hesitation she leaned back into his chest, basking in the feeling of security that resurfaced at being locked in his embrace once again. His deft fingers found the strays to her shirt and he began unlacing them while tugging impatiently at the neckline, widening the gap so he could taste her creamy shoulders.

Bulma tried to shove down all the loneliness that she had felt while imprisoned in Frieza's court, but being here with Vegeta made it well up inside of her. It spilled out, along with the dread that had nearly suffocated her during those long months of their separation. Her fear for Vegeta had been unbearable and her sorrow at her actions stabbed at her daily. She had been certain that he hated her for poisoning him back on Primus and she had thought that the terrible secret she had kept from him of their child would have only compounded his loathing. Her last minutes in this dimension had been filled with so much regret that her heart had broken in two.

She had spent days staring dejectedly at her prison walls, waiting for the day she would be dragged to her death. For comfort she had recited every story her mother had told her as a child, pretending that Trunks was laying in her arms, listening to her. Her favorite was the tale of a mighty prince who slew a dragon and saved the princess. She had lain in her lonely, dark cell, hoping and dreaming that Vegeta would come, but knowing that her fate had already been sealed. She had prayed to Kami that Vegeta would forgive their child for the sins of his mother and that once he had defeated Frieza he would retrieve their son and live as a family. So convinced was she of his disgust for her, that she had never considered that he would use his wish to resurrect her or that he would alter his life in any way in order to reunite their family. Silent tears flowed down her cheeks and she flushed with embarrassment when she couldn't stop them.

Vegeta stiffened at the sound of her soft sobs, berating himself for becoming too impatient with her. He should have known that it was too soon. She had been dead only a few short hours ago and he was already trying to ravish her like some lust-crazed ogre. Which wasn't too far off the mark, he thought scornfully to himself, as he tried to control his raging body. Gently, he turned her to face him, reaching up to wipe her tears. He tipped her chin up, forcing her to look at him.

"What?" He questioned gruffly and his cheeks reddened at his inability to be more sensitive. What did she want from him anyways? He was a warrior, not a poet.

Bulma stared up at Vegeta's impassive features, looking past his mask and into the place that only she could see. She could tell that she upset him with her tears, but she couldn't staunch the flow now matter how hard she tried.

"I-I'm just so happy that we are finally…together." She dropped the last word down to a whisper. Even after all that he had done, destroying Frieza, wishing her back, retrieving their son, she couldn't bury the irrational feeling of uncertainty. What if he really didn't want her? What if he had just resurrected her out of some sort of twisted honor code?

He captured her upturned face in his palms, looking deeply into her sapphire eyes. He could see fear darkening their pure color, but it had nothing to do with her death or his daunting visage. She was afraid that he would turn her away again, afraid that he didn't want her. His body ached to claim her, to run his hands along her solid body and reassure himself that she was indeed real and not some figment of his imagination, but his mind clamored insistently to put her fears to rest. The depth of emotion that he felt when he looked at her startled him. He didn't even know where to begin. How do you name emotions, when you have never had them before? How do you teach a heart to love when it has never even felt? Unable to voice his passion, he settled for stating the facts as he saw them.

"I will never let anyone take you from me again, Bulma. You are my mate. I will give my life for yours. You are mine, forever." His vow of blood sent shivers down Bulma's spine and she felt a moment of uncertainty at the conviction of his possession of her. He left no doubt in her mind that he claimed her as his and that no one would ever take her from him, but did that mean that he loved her or that he was territorial?

Her thoughts quickly shattered into oblivion when he leaned forward, capturing her lips in a passionate kiss. All of her loneliness and despair that she had felt for so long melted away under the blaze of desire. As his tongue swept inside her mouth, tasting her, devouring her, the last few hours sped through her mind. She could see now with perfect clarity that all of her fears were unfounded. Vegeta loved her, even if he couldn't say it. He would have never brought her back unless it was otherwise. He hadn't wished for his planet, his people or even immortality. He had wished for her. Bulma Briefs, a blue-haired, loud mouthed scientist, who harassed him constantly and he adored every minute of it. She wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning into him, inhaling the musky aroma that was only his.

Vegeta felt her small body relax into his and the beast roared with victory while the man cautioned patience. He took a moment to absorb the sensation of her body pressed against his. He could feel every inch of her in his arms and taste the berry juice on her lips. She was real. There could be no doubt in his mind. His fingers found the strays to her shirt and he began to slowly unlace them while he drank from her lips. He had dreamed of doing this so many times while he had hunted down his enemies on Namek. Every time she had appeared his eyes had been drawn to her lips and the memory of their taste haunted him. Now that he finally had what he desired, he was torn between kissing her until he was light-headed or skimming his mouth down over her satin flesh, savoring ever inch of her.

He pushed her overlarge shirt off her shoulders and it fell to a heap at her feet. He felt her shudder as the cool air chilled her and instinctively he splayed his hands over her slender back, protecting as much of her bare skin as he could while pulling her deeper into his embrace. She arched her back, thrusting her pert breasts into his chest, her nipples hardening as they brushed against the material of his uniform. He growled as he slid one hand up her back, furrowing his fingers into her teal hair, working it free from her bun so he could gather the silken tresses into his palm.

Reluctantly, he broke away from her mouth, swathing a hot path of fire down her neck, stopping briefly to nibble at her pulse before continuing down to her collar bone. His fist tightened in her hair and she arched her back over his other arm, baring her neck to him in submission while offering her luscious breasts to his watering mouth. Vegeta fought desperately for control, but the animal inside raged for him claim what was rightfully his. Bulma's light pants and soft moans did nothing to bank his need; instead it inflamed his desire until he thought he would burst.

Bulma whimpered and her sharp nails dug into his biceps as his lips hovered over her sensitive flesh, teasing her with his hot breath. She raised one leg, looping her heel behind his knee to give herself more support as she bent over his arm, straining to bring herself closer to the delicious heat that she knew was waiting for her.

Finally, Vegeta succumbed to the beast inside of him and he lowered his lips to her taut nipple, laving it with the attention it had so prettily begged for. He released his hold on her hair, sliding his hand over her ribs so he could palm her other breast. As his mouth ravished one pert pearl his thumb tortured the other, wringing wanton cries of need from Bulma's kiss swollen lips. She straddled the hard column of his thigh, rubbing her wetness against him, teasing herself with the course brush of fabric of her slacks. His hand drifted lower, ripping at her cloth belt, desperate to feast on her bare beauty once again. With a frustrated tug, her pants fell to the ground and he sighed with pleasure when he grasped her firm cheek in his palm. He dipped down, sweeping her up into his arms, striding over to the waiting bed. He placed her on the cool silk sheets with much more care than he had displayed the first time he had laid her down on a bed and this time he did not join her immediately.

His obsidian eyes roved over her beautiful body, still trying to convince himself that she really was there and not an illusion that she was going to disappear any minute. It would take a long time, he thought, before the feeling went away. Until then he would just have to touch her as often as he could and he smirked when he concluded that his mate wouldn't be leaving his sight for quiet awhile. The way he thirsted for her, craved her, needed her, he wouldn't be able to let her go, much less leave her.

Bulma stared up at her handsome prince, waiting as his unreadable eyes scanned every inch of her body. She couldn't believe how good it felt to be back in his arms again, to have him near, knowing that he was watching over her. She never wanted to be parted from him again. She knew that the life ahead of them would be a hard one. Living with Vegeta was never easy and now that he was the strongest man in the universe it would be nigh impossible. She barely resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the thought of the already arrogant prince, becoming lord. However, she didn't want to imagine life without him again. She briefly thought of the planet she had planned on retiring too and her weak excuses of being tired of court life sounded so insipid to her ears now. She knew that she could never sit idly by on a quiet world while life passed her by. She had to be in the thick of things, the center of the hub and besides she would go anywhere Vegeta was going. It didn't matter if it was the darkest pit or the sunniest peak. All that matter was that they were finally together.

A sly smile curved on her red lips and she beckoned him closer with a sensual curl of her finger. His black brow winged at her invitation a moment before a wolfish grin claimed his features. He tugged off his uniform, dropping into a discarded heap on the floor. Her eyes widened in awe and her heart pounded with excitement. He was so perfect that it put the gods to shame.

He stretched his solid length out next to her, running his battle scarred hand from her knee, up her smooth thigh, over her hip to finally rest on her ribs just below her breast. His fingers tightened possessively drawing her closer to his broad chest. She raised her parted lips up to his and he claimed them in a heated kiss that caused tiny flames to dance all the way down her body to the tips of her toes. He slipped one hand under her head to support her neck while the other roved impatiently, exploring the creamy expanse of her belly and skimming his calloused thumb over her dusky nipples. She moaned into his mouth, arching her body, aching for something more.

Her long fingers traced the ridges of his abs, dipping into the indentations of his flesh before trailing up over his carved chest. His muscles were unyielding under the velvet layer of hot flesh and she was amazed at the amount of work it must have taken to sculpt his body into such an incredible work of art. Her hand slid over his ribs, gently caressing his numerous scars before laying flat against his firm back, holding him close to her.

He shifted his weight, positioning himself between her thighs and she bucked against him, straining for fulfillment. Her ministrations were feeble against his unmovable body so she wrapped her silky legs around his hips in a silent request, a feminine demand for satisfaction.

"You are always so impatient." He trailed hot kisses down her between her breasts, his taunting comment feathering over her flushed skin. Before she could find the breath to reply he captured one of her pert nipples in his mouth and she cried out, sliding her fingers into his thickly spiked hair. He rested his weight on one arm, while his hand slid down to palm her hip, pulling her wetness closer to his throbbing erection. She took full advantage of her new position and tightened her thighs around him, arching her body impossibly close. He bit back his groan as he slicked against her wetted core. He wanted so badly to slip inside of her, to feel her surrounding him, welcoming him, needing him, but he had to make sure that she was untouched by the horror of death, that no wounds remained. He shifted closer to her, his tail wrapping around her thigh, taking the place of his hand so he could rest it on her chest.

His entire body clenched with regret when his eyes were drawn to his hand that rested right above her heart. The same hand that had shot the blast the rendered her beating organ in two, tearing them apart and setting him alone on his rocky path of vengeance. Slowly, almost fearing what he would see, he moved his hand away from her heart, peering carefully at her skin as it was revealed. There, at the precise spot where his beam had struck her was a small red mark. It was about the size of a dime, a weaving of crimson lines that resembled something that he couldn't place. A rune of some sort, perhaps. More than likely it was created out of the anomaly of her death and subsequent resurrection and held no real meaning above being a reminder of his betrayal to her.

Bulma felt Vegeta's entire body shudder and she surfaced out of the haze of passion that engulfed her, looking down at his taut face. He stared blankly at a small mark above her heart, fingering as though it was ink that he could just rub away. He felt the weight of her stare on him and his black eyes glanced up to meet her blue ones. They held each other's gaze, neither wanting to break it, while both struggled to say the words that bubbled just below the surface.

Vegeta was overwhelmed with the desire to apologize for killing her, while at the same time he wanted to scream at her from putting him in that position. Deep down inside where the serpent slept, another emotion prodded gently at his soul, begging him to voice it, needing to be heard and desiring recognition.

"Bulma, I-I…" The words caught in his throat. He wanted to say them, but he just couldn't force himself to give into the weakness. He had only just admitted to himself that he loved her. He didn't think he was ready to voice it out loud, even to Bulma herself.

Bulma could see the struggle that took place deep inside of Vegeta. He wanted to tell her something, something important, but she already knew the words. He wasn't ready yet to say the thing that would make her heart sing, but that was fine, because she already seen the proof of his commitment to her with her own eyes. He had nothing more to prove to her. She reached up, pressing her fingers against his lips, silencing him before he injured himself from the strain. She smiled up at him, watching the emotional conflict inside of her cold warrior and loving every minute of it. Perhaps, when they were old and gray she would tease him about this, but not now. Right now she had to let him know that everything was going to be okay for them.

"I know Vegeta. You don't have to say it, you already did." She whispered up at him, while still holding his gaze. He cocked his head to the side, more than certain he had never said any such thing to her.

"You said it when you wished me back to life. You could have had the entire universe at your feet. Anything you desired could have been yours, but you chose me. I love you, Vegeta and I know that you love me, but I can wait until you are ready to say it, because you have already shown me how you feel."

Vegeta's hand flattened against her chest, hiding the mark from his sight. He couldn't believe the words that flowed out of her mouth. How could she possibly feel that way about him? She was so accepting of his nature, so willing to compromise with him. How could he not love her?

He broke away from her gaze, dropping down to ravage her mouth with his. The dragon inside of him could not be contained any longer. It demanded that he examine his mate, to reacquaint himself with her taste and scent. His mouth slid insistently down her body, touching her and loving her the only way he knew how. She began to mewl and squirm as his mouth skimmed over her stomach while his hands spread her legs wide.

His hot mouth showered sparks of fire over her midriff and she could not stop her body from bucking when she realized where he was going. His thumb brushed over her swollen nub, sending bolts of sizzling white-hot lightning shooting through her. His fingers slipped into her already dripping depths, pumping into her while the wet heat of his tongue drove her too heights of ecstasy. He allowed her to teeter on the edge of release, before pulling away, leaving her unfulfilled before beginning again. She moaned with need, arching under him, begging for his body to join with hers.

She cried out with despair as he drew away from her, kissing her thighs, trailing down until he nibbled on her knees. She raised up on her elbows, glaring at him, her displeasure at his teasing radiating out of her in waves. She met Vegeta's glittering onyx eyes and her breath caught in her throat.

He crouched over her possessively in the center of the bed, his cruel lips drawn back into a hungry snarl as his bronze skin glistening in the dim light. Behind his black eyes she could see a flash of gold, deep inside where the beast dwelled within him. As a woman she wanted to shrink away from the wild animal that had suddenly invaded her bower, but her wanton femaleness hissed with superiority. She was the one who drove him to unparalleled heights of yearning. She was the embodiment of his need, of his desire. She wound her lithe body away from his, pulling her knees under her before she launched herself against his firm chest.

He caught her easily, groaning as she pressed against him, sliding her slick flesh against his. Her eager lips found his throbbing pulse and instinct made her draw it into her mouth so she could feel the thrumming against her tongue. His head dropped back as his neck as his hands slid down her body to cup her bottom, pulling her closer to his thrusting shaft. Her hands roved over his corded shoulders and down the hard contours of his chest, reveling in the feel of the hills and valleys of his flesh. Her lips slipped down his body, tasting the salty flavor of his lust. His hands tangled in her teal hair as he dropped back onto his heels, allowing her to explore his body.

Her petal soft lips found the source of his blatant desire and her kiss was like throwing gasoline on an already raging fire. Her tongue traced the ridge of his shaft, his moans of delight feeding the heady feeling of power that washed over her. His hands tightened in her hair, trying to drag her away from her newly found feast before he dishonored himself, but she mewled in protest and dug her sharp nails into his bare thighs.

He growled in the back of his throat, a sound of male authority, demanding her obedience to his will. She hissed with scorn as he pulled her writhing body back up into his arms trapping her against his chest. He looked down into her flushed face, his eyes drawn to her ruby lips that were moist with the pleasure she had wrought. Her sapphire gaze narrowed as she watched his obsidian eyes dropped to her swollen mouth. A satisfied smile curled on her lips and she rubbed her body over his in a slow seductive dance of want and desire.

"Did you miss me Vegeta?" Her breath whispered over his hot skin, doing nothing to cool the inferno that was consuming him. His black eyes locked with hers, the golden gaze of the dragon and the searing look of the man absorbing every detail of her beautiful countenance. _Mine._

"What do you think, woman?" His husky voice sent shivers down her spine and she arched her breast closer to his chest as the words vibrated through him. He claimed her lips in a dominate kiss that clearly told her that he was a man and she was a woman. It fed the craving in her soul and she knew that she would never find pleasure in another's arms. She was forever branded by Vegeta's touch, claimed by him for eternity.

He broke away from her mouth and with feral intensity he flipped her onto her stomach as he leaned over her from behind. Primal longing rippled through her, injecting fear of his animalism into her already heightened euphoria of lust. His large hands encircled her delicate ankles while he nipped at her calves. Slowly he worked his way up her body, his soft growls tickling her sensitive skin. Fire raced through her veins, burning her from the inside out, while desire lashed her unmercifully. With every touch of his lips against her flesh and caress of his hands on her skin, her body clenched tighter with need. She wanted him inside of her, filling her, stretching her. She needed to feel him, to renew their connection, to share her love with him.

His teeth nipped at her curved ass, his tongue darting out to lap at the indent of her spine, following the straight line up between her shoulders. His weight spread her legs wider and she could feel him prodding at her molten center, seeking entrance. She whimpered with need and she scrunched the silk sheets in her fists, muffling her cries in the pillow.

Vegeta's strong hands covered her dainty fists, lacing their fingers together as he slowly entered her, inch by inch, hissing with pleasure as he did so. Wet heat enveloped him, tugging at him, begging him for more. Coils of desire, curled in the pit of her stomach and she dug her knees into the mattress, trying to lever herself up higher so she could feel more of his thick length inside of her.

Molten rivers of lava coursed under his skin as she writhed in desire beneath him. The intensity of his lust threatened to burn him away into ash. Vegeta's fingers entwined tightly with her hers, while his other hand reached up to pull her mass of teal hair away from her neck. The dragon roared with the need to claim her and he could no longer deny his instincts. With a gentle tug, he pulled her up onto her knees, so they knelt in the center of the bed. He wrapped one arm around her midriff for support as he brought her flush against his chiseled chest. Their sweat slicked skin slid against each other, fanning the slow burn inside of them into a raging inferno. Bulma gasped as his thrusts became more forceful and she reached out a shaking hand to brace herself against the headboard.

He drew her head to the side, arching her slender neck up towards him and his lips peeled away from his ivory incisors. He skimmed over her pulse, scenting her blood that raced just below her delicate skin. His hand cupped her breast as he thrust into her yielding body, holding her so closely that it seemed as though she was poured onto him, seeping in through his pores. His luxurious tail wound around her thigh, sliding sensually against her throbbing core. Her other hand had come around to grip his wrist that held her to him and her nails dug into him deeply as his tail worked its salacious magic on her. He drew her salty flesh into his hot mouth and without warning he bit deeply into her, sucking at the hot spicy blood that spurted onto his tongue. Bulma cried out, arching her back, spreading her thighs even wider to receive him.

Her eyes rolled back into her head and flashes of light pierced her lids. Blinding waves of pleasure crashed over her, drowning her under the intensity. Vegeta plundered her body, drinking her blood and devouring her passion. With her orgasm he felt the reckless pull of her muscles, coaxing him to lose himself to the pleasure. With a roar he released her neck, thrusting once more into her as his seed shot deeply into her womb. The lava beneath his skin boiled and starbursts of pleasure flared through his entire body.

He collapsed onto the bed carrying her with him while wrapping his strong arms around her. She melted against him, surrendering into his embrace. She looked up at him, her shimmering blue eyes locking with his obsidian ones. Only she could look at him like that. As though she could see into his very soul and banish the demons that lived there with three perfect words.

Bulma reached up to smooth her fingers over his winged brow, soothing the lines that were always there. She couldn't believe how far they had come. She had wished so long and hard for her prince, but she had never dreamed that she would find him under the same shadow of the monster that enslaved them both. A small smile curved on her lips as she watched Vegeta. He may not be some knight that rode a white steed and wielding a shinning sword, but he was definitely her savior who slew the dragon. Her hero just happened to wear cracked, battered armor as he tread on a red carpet of blood. So what if he was a little bad? He was still her demon knight.

"I love you, my prince." She whispered.

Vegeta glanced down at her, awed by the love he saw glowing deep inside of her. Her eyes drifted closed as she raised her crimson lips to his. He lowered his mouth to hers, kissing her with a mind drugging slowness that conveyed all of the love that dwelled in his heart for her. He held her tightly, vowing to his people on his forgotten honor, that he would never let her go again. She was his and only his. His light. His desire. His whisper of mercy in his dark soul.

TBC…..

Sappy, I know. kicks a rock What can I say, it was a reunion. It was a little long too and I'm very sorry. I just wanted to wrap up some issues. I hope it was okay.

That concludes the first chapter of Vegeta and Bulma's life together. They met, they fell and love and they conquered their dragon. Thank you so much for reading my story, I appreciate the time you spent reviewing and giving me encouragement. I hope that you enjoyed it as I worked really, really big eyes hard on it. Yay me! I wrote something with a plot. frowns No wonder my head hurts.

Tempest: Now what?

Wicked voice: Indeed, now what?

Tempest: looks around Who said that?

Silence

Tempest: Okaaay. ruffles through her papers Now what did I do with Trunks…

Evil laughter echoes throughout the room.

Check out the sequel, At Odds, same place same time. wink


End file.
